Department of Biological Sciences

Visayas State University

Visca, Baybay City, Leyte
Name: Renomeron, Dale Marie P.
Course & Year: BSEd 3

Date: March 27, 2014

Lab. Time: TTh (7-10)

Exercise # 9
SURVEY OF PHYTO- AND ZOOPLANKTON IN A POND ECOSYSTEM
Plankton is a diverse group of organisms that live in the water column and cannot
swim against a current .They provide a crucial source of food to many large aquatic
organisms, such as fish and whales. These organisms include drifting animals, protists,
archaea, algae, or bacteria that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh
water; that is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic
ortaxonomic classification.
Plankton are primarily divided into broad functional groups: the Phytoplankton and
Zooplankton. Phytoplankton, from Greekphyton, or plant, autotrophic, prokaryotic or
eukaryotic algae that live near the water surface where there is sufficient light to support
photosynthesis. Among the more important groups are the diatoms, cyanobacteria,
dinoflagellates and coccolithophores. Zooplankton from the Greekzoon, or animal, small
protozoans or metazoans (e.g. crustaceans and other animals) that feed on other plankton
and Telonemia. Some of the eggs and larvae of larger animals, such as fish, crustaceans,
and annelids, are included here.
Objectives:
To identify the phyto- and zooplankton in a local pond community.
To determine which plankton genera are abundant.
To discuss the role plankton plays in the pond ecosystem.
Methodology:
1. Five water samples from the surface of the water column in a pond were collected
using a plankton net.
2. Five random horizontal tows of the plankton net were made.
3. The collected samples in covered glass jars or test tubes.
4. The samples were immediately brought to the laboratory for analysis.
5. Each sample in the jar was gently mixed and then, drops of each sample were placed
on each ofthe five microscope slides.
6. At low magnification, each slide was scanned then was moved to higher magnification
to examine phytoplankton and zooplankton genera.
7. The 5 slides per sample were examined.
8. Using a digital camera mounted to the eyepiece of the microscope, each plankton
genus found was photographed. The available books and other reference materials
were used for the identification.
9. The data was recorded and the results on the composition and abundance of the
plankton in the pond were discussed.(See the results and data below.)

Results and Observation:

Table 1. Phytoplankton (Number of individuals in each sample)
Phytoplankton
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3

Sample 4

Sample 5

10

Pennate Diatom

Triceratumamericanum

Pediastrum

Arachnoidiscusornatus

Protoperidiniumconicum

Diatom (Unknown 1)

10

Oscillatoria

Gyrosigma fascicola

Bacillaria paradoxa

Nostoc

Table 1. Zooplankton (Number of individuals in each sample)

Zooplankton

Site 1

Site 2

Site 3

Site 4

Site 5

Acartiaomorii
(Cyclops)

Acartianauplius
(Copepod)

Turbellaria

Labotocerebrum psommicolal

Unknown species 1

Unknown species 2

Unknown species 3

Unknown species 4

Based on the data gathered above, there were ten species of phytoplankton and four
zooplankton associated with four unknown species that were observed. The most abundant functional
group of plankton is the Phytoplankton community, compared to the Zooplankton which are mostly not
found in some samples.
Plankton are the productive base of both marine and freshwater ecosystems, providing food
for larger animals and indirectly for humans, whose fisheries depend upon plankton. Phytoplankton
may become increasingly important in space travel as a source for food and for gas exchange. The
carbon dioxide released during respiration of spacecraft personnel would be transformed into organic
substances by the algae, while the oxygen liberated during this process would support human
respiration. The plantlike community of plankton is called as the Phytoplankton and the animal-like
community is known as zooplankton. The chief components of marine phytoplankton are found within
the algal groups which include diatoms, Dinoflagellates and Coccolithophorids. Silicoflagellates,
Cryptomonads, and green algae are found. Meanwhile,freshwater phytoplankton, usually rich in green
algae, also include diatoms, blue-green algae, and true flagellates. The zooplankton is divided into
two groups. Temporary plankton consists of planktonic eggs and larvae of members of the benthos
and nekton; permanent plankton includes all animals that live their complete life cycles in a floating
state. The temporary plankton, particularly abundant in coastal areas, is characteristically seasonal in
occurrence, though variations in spawning time of different species ensure its presence in all seasons.
Representatives from nearly every phylum of the animal kingdom are found in the permanent
plankton. Among the protozoans, planktonic for aminiferans and radiolarians are so abundant and
widespread that their skeletons constitute the bulk of bottom sediments over wide ocean areas. They
are absent in fresh water.
Conclusion:
Triceratum americanum, Pediastrum, Arachnoidiscus ornatus, Protoperidinium conicum,
Oscillatoria, Gyrosigma fascicola, and Bacillaria paradoxa were some of the identified genera of
phytoplankton while Acartia omorii (Cyclops), Acartia nauplius (Copepod), Turbellaria,
Labotocerebrum psommicolal, and some unknown species were the identified genera of zooplankton.
The most abundant phytoplankton present during the observationon the samples taken from the
selected site was the Protoperidinium conicum. On the other hand, the Unknown species 4 was the
most numerous in the zooplankton community.
A pond which has a definite phytoplankton is observed to keep prawns calm and reportedly
minimize cannibalism. This was due to the fact that they consume phytoplankton and thereby regulate
NH4+ and tie up with heavy metals. Moreover, plankton regulates transparency and dissolved oxygen
thereby regulating suns ray penetration and temperature and decreasing accumulation of CO 2, NH3
NO2, H2S etc. in water.
References:
www.neospark.com/images/plankton.pdf
www.fwf.ag.utk.edu/Extension/pdfs/pondblooms.pdf
www.pondsofchestercountypa.net/chestermap.php.zooplankton