By Horace See
Earth’s oxygen is often linked to the vision of exceptional forests full of tall trees. These terrestrial plants make oxygen through photosynthesis. Nevertheless, we usually forget about the other main oxygen supplier in nature – plankton in the oceans!
Tiny marine creatures known as plankton are essential in promoting the well-being of the oceans. They are also responsible for the color of the ocean water, as part of their diet consists of colorful diatoms as well as jellyfish larvae. Though nearly invisible to the naked eye, the large quantity of plankton plays a major role in regulating the global climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen through photosynthesis. Despite being minuscule, these organisms produce large amounts of atmospheric oxygen. They are said to produce almost half of the oxygen we breathe.
Their capability to act as indicators of environmental changes also provides scientists with important information about marine ecosystems’ overall health. Therefore, these silent heroes of the ocean are vital to the health of the oceans and all their supported lives on Earth.
A report from Beyond Pesticides stated: “In addition to their functions in the food chain, some kinds of plankton help oceans absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and even assist in the creation of clouds though their emission of diethyl sulfide.” Diethyl Sulfide being a primary precursor for the production and growth of aerosol particles that can seed the formation of cloud droplets in the marine atmosphere
They are important but often considered less important than their terrestrial counterparts. To understand why this is the case, we need to look into the complexities of their ecology. The Straits Times mentioned: “At the base of the food chain, micro-organisms were the “invisible people of the sea”, accounting for two-thirds of marine biomass, said Romain Trouble, the Tara Ocean Foundation Director. “They capture atmospheric CO2 and supply half of the oxygen we breathe.” As such, their contribution to making the current earth’s atmospheric oxygen is greatly overlooked.
Likewise, the vast and complex ocean environment makes it difficult to calculate the amount of oxygen produced by marine plankton. Collecting and analyzing samples from such a large area presents a significant challenge. As a result, it is hard to accuratley convey the critical role played by plankton to the general public due to no concrete evidence.
A paper by the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) said: “One simple fact seems to get ignored – marine plankton form the root of our food chain and are the basis of the life support mechanism for the planet, but they have been completely ignored in the conversations to address climate mitigation. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) was the first time that oceans had been included. This is all very odd when you consider that millions and millions of dollars/Euros spent on peer-reviewed literature shows we have lost more than 50% of all life in the oceans, but from our plankton sampling activity and other observations, we consider that losses closer to 90% have occurred, and these are due to chemical pollution and not from climate change.”
In conclusion, we should not disregard the importance of oceanic plankton, which is just as vital as trees in producing oxygen. These tiny creatures living in the ocean depths provide over fifty percent of all the Earth’s breathable air. To appreciate the unsung heroes behind the oxygen in our environment, we must understand the significant role played by plankton. Let us pay accolades to the whispers of the ocean that keep our earthly respiration breathable and life-giving.