Evolution of Phytoplankton in Relation to Their Physiological Traits

Defining the physiological traits that characterise phytoplankton involves comparison with related organisms in benthic habitats. Comparison of survival time darkness under natural conditions requires more information. Gas vesicles and flagella as mechanisms upward movement relative to surrounding water, allowing periodic vertical migration, are not confined plankton, although buoyancy changes compositional a large central vacuole may be restricted plankton. Benthic microalgae have same range photosynthetic pigments do phytoplankton; it is clear if there differences rate regulation acclimation machinery variations irradiance for microphytobenthos. There inadequate data determine responses frequency or magnitude supply inorganic carbon, nitrogen phosphorus differ between microalgae. Phagophotomixotrophy osmophotomixotrophy, occur both Further progress identifying specific experimentation on closely planktonic microalgae, attention whether algae examined have, far can determined, never been during their evolution derived from ancestors.