How did phytoplankton evolve?
Photosynthetic eukaryotes evolved more than 1.5 billion years ago in the Proterozoic oceans. However, it was not until the Mesozoic Era (251 to 65 million years ago) that the three principal phytoplankton clades that would come to dominate the modern seas rose to ecological prominence.
How do plants and animals evolve through sympatric speciation?
In allopatric speciation, groups from an ancestral population evolve into separate species due to a period of geographical separation. In sympatric speciation, groups from the same ancestral population evolve into separate species without any geographical separation.
How many species of marine phytoplankton are there?
There are about 5,000 known species of marine phytoplankton.
When did plankton first evolve?
about 3 billion years ago
Not long after, possibly about 3 billion years ago, the first photosynthetic organisms had evolved and begun releasing oxygen, much of it used up in geological processes.
Did the evolution of the phytoplankton fuel the diversification of the marine biosphere?
The parallelism of the fossil records of marine phytoplankton and faunal biodiversity implicates the quantity (primary productivity) and quality (stoichiometry) of phytoplankton as being critical to the diversification of the marine biosphere through the Phanerozoic.
What would be an example of sympatric speciation?
The theory is that some individuals become dependent on certain aspects of an environment—such as shelter or food sources—while others do not. A possible example of sympatric speciation is the apple maggot, an insect that lays its eggs inside the fruit of an apple, causing it to rot.
Which one of the following is an example of sympatric speciation?
For example, the insect, Rhagoletis pomonella (apple maggot fly), is an example of sympatric speciation. Initially, the apple maggot flies lay their eggs on hawthorn fruit (a relative of apple). In the 19th century, a distinct form of maggot fly emerged that lay eggs on apples only.
What are the adaptations of phytoplankton?
Plankton avoid sinking through increased surface area. Flattened bodies and appendages, spines, and other body projections slow sinking by adding surface area without increasing density. Some phytoplankton also avoid sinking by forming large chains.
Are all phytoplankton algae?
Phytoplankton are made up of single-celled algae and cyanobacteria. As algae can be single-celled, filamentous (string-like) or plant-like, they are often difficult to classify. Most organizations group algae by their primary color (green, red, or brown), though this creates more problems than it solves 4.
What’s the origin of plankton?
The word “plankton” comes from the Greek for “drifter” or “wanderer.” An organism is considered plankton if it is carried by tides and currents, and cannot swim well enough to move against these forces. Some plankton drift this way for their entire life cycle.
How old is SpongeBob?
SpongeBob SquarePants was born on July 14, 1986, which means that he is 35 years old in 2021. Since he does have a birthday and the show sees time passing, we can conclude that he is getting older and that time does affect him, unlike some other animated characters.
What is sympatric speciation in evolution?
Sympatric speciation occurs when there are no physical barriers preventing any members of a species from mating with another, and all members are in close proximity to one another. A new species, perhaps based on a different food source or characteristic, seems to develop spontaneously.