Question

What color does the water turn when there are trillions of coccolithophores?

Answer 1

The ocean turns a milky-white or bright blue due to the reflective calcium carbonate plates of the coccolithophores. These blooms can even be detected from space, showing the extensive impact these microscopic organisms have on our planet's oceans.

Step-by-step explanation:

The water turns a milky-white or bright blue when there are trillions of coccolithophores present. Coccolithophores are photosynthetic unicellular algae that play a significant role in the Earth's ecology and geology. They are surrounded by calcium carbonate plates called coccoliths.

These plates contribute to their ability to reflect light, leading to the characteristic brightening of the water during massive blooms. The coccoliths can sink to the ocean floor upon the death of the coccolithophores, sometimes contributing to large geological formations like the famous White Cliffs of Dover.

While these organisms are small, they make a huge contribution to the production of oxygen and carbon sequestration. Their blooms can be detected from space, as evidenced by satellite photos showing dramatic changes in the color of the ocean, such as the images captured off the west coast of Alaska in the Bering Sea.

Answer 2

Trillions of coccolithophores turn the water a distinctive milky-whitish or turquoise tint, which is caused by their calcium carbonate plates known as coccoliths. These organisms are vital to oxygen production and carbon cycling in the Earth's ecosystems. Coccolithophores should not be confused with other colored water phenomena caused by different marine organisms such as bacteria or dinoflagellates.

Step-by-step explanation:

When trillions of coccolithophores, which are photosynthetic unicellular algae, populate the water, they can significantly alter the coloration of the ocean. These tiny yet significant organisms are covered with ornate calcium carbonate plates known as coccoliths. These coccoliths are reflective and, in large numbers, give the ocean a distinct milky-whitish or turquoise shade that can be visible from satellite photos, such as those showing blooms in the Bering Sea off the west coast of Alaska.

Coccolithophores are notable not just for the dramatic coloring they can cause in the ocean, but also because they contribute significantly to the oxygen production of our planet and play a vital role in the carbon cycle. They function as a carbon sink; the calcium carbonate in their plates derived from dissolved carbonate ions, which generally come from the carbon dioxide produced by respiring organisms.

When coccolithophores die, depending on the environmental conditions, their coccoliths may either dissolve back into the solution or sink to the ocean floor, where they can form substantial deposits that contribute to geological formations like the famed White Cliffs of Dover and the Alabaster Coast of Normandy.

It's important to distinguish coccolithophore blooms from other phenomena, such as the green tint in coastal waters caused by hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria, or the red tide caused by massive populations of certain red-pigmented dinoflagellates. These occurrences are different in cause and effect but highlight the diverse impact that microscopic marine life has on the ocean's color and ecology.