Types of Microscopes Used for Plankton Examination

Planktons are miniscule drifting organisms that are usually found in seas, oceans, and other bodies of water. They usually inhibit fresh bodies water and are commonly found in water columns. Planktons are the chief food supply of aquatic animals.

Planktons are relevant to aquatic food chain, as they are the ones positioned at the very bottom of the chain. But aside from this fact, planktons play a crucial role in the water’s carbon cycle. Carbon cycle is defined as the biogeochemical cycle wherein carbon is exchanged between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere of the Earth. The instances of red tide in a certain body of water, such as an ocean or a sea is also determined by the number of planktons it has.

These are all the reasons why marine biologists are especially interested in planktons, their functions, internal structures, and abundance. There are two types of planktons - phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton is referred to as the plant plankton while zooplankton is the animal plankton. To specifically observe and analyze planktons, a high power compound microscope should be used. Alternately, a low-power dissection microscope may also be needed if and when the organism needs to be cut into its midsection for deeper analysis.

Test samples of planktons can be obtained in many ways. It is quite easy to get them if you live near the ocean. Just throw plankton net over the water from a dock or a boat. And you’ll definitely have more than enough sample to study. For those who live far away from the ocean, a previously prepared plankton sample could be a good alternative. This can be obtained from reputable biological supply companies that sells preserved and pre-mounted samples on a slide. However, for professionals who specifically want to study the certain types of planktons inhabiting a particular body of water may need to preserve the organisms in a 3% to 5% Formalin or Lugol’s solution. Preserving the planktons is going to be required especially if they have to be transported to the laboratory.

Merely looking into the water obtained from the ocean will reveal nothing of relevance. In fact, the water may seem to very clear and free from microorganisms, as planktons are invisible to the naked eye. But this is very far from the truth. When you put even a drop of seawater or ocean water into a slide and observe it with a high power microscope, you’ll see that the water is actually bursting with life. There are a lot of microorganisms moving in the water and it even had populated a good portion of it. And most probably what you see are planktons. Planktons are microscopic organisms that freely drift along the currents of the ocean.

Planktons differ in size and shape. There are some that can be viewed through a low power microscope. These are the samples big enough to dissect, if there’s really a need for it. However, most of them can’t be viewed under these types of scopes at all. Some are too small that a high power microscope is needed. It is best that you prepare multiple samples of planktons and view them using the right types of microscopes.

To effective study and analyze planktons, high-grade microscopes are not only the ones required. Different types of chambers are also used, such as the counting chamber, Kolkowitz chamber, tubular chamber, and plate chamber, among others. Each of them has a special function all needed to effectively study planktons. Aside from these, a plunger sampling pipette and the Folsom’s plankton sample divider are needed as well.

To effectively view plankton under a low power microscope, use the 4x objective along with the 10x eyepiece. If you effectively see some plankton under this power, then you can identify the zooplanktons from the phytoplankton with ease. However, if this is not possible at all, you might need to switch to a high power compound microscope using the 10x objective matched with the 10x eyepiece. This way, you’ll be able to see images with a total magnification power of 100x. At this level, you should be able to clearly see the behavior of planktons, identify them, and assess their abundance in the body of water from which you took them.

These are the basic facts behind planktons and their relevance to biological balance. But this is not all what planktons are for. Planktons directly affect human life too. Scientists, through careful observation and analysis, were able to find out that planktons are producing as much as 80% of the oxygen that humans breathe. This alone maintains the fact that the existence of planktons in seawater allows for the continuance of human existence all over the world.
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