Module E03
Microalgae

At first glance, it’s just green water. But under a microscope, you’ll see countless tiny organisms that serve as food for the animals in our aquariums.

They’re also used as indicators of environmental changes because they respond directly to physical, chemical, and biological shifts in marine ecosystems.

This makes them excellent bioindicators of the environmental quality of the Ria Formosa, which you can see just outside the window. This area has all the right conditions for plankton to thrive.

Phytoplankton is the name given to photosynthetic microorganisms (microalgae and cyanobacteria) found in all aquatic environments. It accounts for 90% of global marine primary production. Phytoplankton forms the base of marine food webs, and some species are widely used in aquaculture as the first food for fish larvae.

Zooplankton includes primary consumers of phytoplankton. They live scattered throughout the water column and have limited movement. Zooplankton includes, among others, larval stages of animals like fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.

Did you know...
Some of these microorganisms (plankton) glow in the dark through a process called bioluminescence!