Our World: Phytoplankton – Powering the Ocean Food Web
Did you know some of the tiniest living things in the ocean help make the air you breathe? Meet phytoplankton, microscopic plant-like organisms that are true heroes of the sea! In this NASA eClips video Dr. Ivona Cetinic, an oceanographer with NASA's PACE mission, will help you discover how these tiny drifters create oxygen, feed ocean animals big and small, and keep ecosystems around the world in balance. Come explore why life on Earth depends on these amazing ocean powerhouse organisms!
Discussion and writing prompts:
- Ocean Superheroes: Why do you think scientists call phytoplankton “heroes”? Write or talk about how they help both animals in the ocean and people on land.
- Breath of Fresh Air: Phytoplankton make a lot of the oxygen we breathe. Imagine what life would be like if there were no phytoplankton. How would Earth be different?
- Food Web Connections: Phytoplankton are at the start of the ocean food web. Choose your favorite ocean animal and explain how it might depend on phytoplankton for survival.
- Big Impact, Tiny Size: Phytoplankton are very small, but they have a huge impact on the world. Can you think of another small thing that makes a big difference? Compare it to phytoplankton.