Phytoplankton

ANTARCTIC PHYTOPLANKTON CONTENT Upon a short period of very extensive research, one can conclude many things about the phytoplankton content of the waters surrounding the continent of Antarctica.First of all, what is phytoplankton? Phytoplankton is defined as planktonic plants and other autotrophs which are the most important primary producers in many marine ecosystems. (p. 213 Castro-Huber) Many factors influence the growth of phytoplankton such as sunlight, water temperature, and water current. In my specific study …

…was present in the water, two of these occured in December 1998 and 1999, the other in September 1998. Every other month from September 1997 until March 2000, the waters contained a phytoplankton reading of 0 (zero). The only conclusion that can be made about the numerous occasions in which phytoplankton was absent from the waters is that massive sheets of ice cover the water around the continent of Antarctia making unacceptable conditions for the survival of such phytoplankton. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**