Glowing plankton is an amazing sight. This microscopic organism is able to turn the whole sea into a shining starry sky, moving the observer into the fantastic world of magic.
Plankton
Plankton is a generic name for many diverse organisms, mainly living in well-lit layers of water. They are not able to resist the strength of the current, so often their groups carries to the shores.
Any (including luminous) plankton is food for the rest, larger inhabitants of the reservoir. It is a mass of algae and animals that are very small in size, with the exception of jellyfish and ctenophores. Many of them move independently, so during periods of calm plankton can move away from the coast and ply through the reservoir.
As mentioned above, the upper layers of the sea or ocean are richest in plankton, however, individual species (for example, bacteria and zooplankton) inhabit the water column to the maximum depth possible for life.
What types of plankton glow?
Not all species have the ability to bioluminescence. In particular, large jellyfish and diatoms are deprived of it.
Luminous plankton is mainly represented by unicellular plants - dinoflagellates. By the end of summer, their numbers reach a peak in warm weather conditions, so during this period you can observe a particularly intense illumination near the sea.
If the water shines in separate green flashes, then you can be sure that they are planktonic crustaceans. In addition to them, ctenophores are prone to bioluminescence. Their light is dimmer and spreads through the body with azure tints in a collision with an obstacle.
Sometimes a rather rare occurrence occurs when luminous plankton in the Black Sea shines for a long time without a break. At such moments, the flowering of dinophytic algae occurs, and the density of their cells per liter of liquid is so high that individual flashes merge into a bright and constant illumination of the surface.
Why does plankton glow in the sea?
Plankton emits light through chemical processes called bioluminescence. A thorough study revealed that this is nothing more than a conditioned reflex in response to irritation.
Sometimes it may seem that the action occurs spontaneously, but this is not true. Even the movement of water itself is an irritant; by the force of friction it exerts a mechanical effect on the animal. It causes an electric impulse rushing towards the cell, as a result of which a vacuole filled with elementary particles generates energy, followed by a chemical reaction that spills into the surface glow of the body. With additional exposure, bioluminescence is enhanced.
In simpler terms, it can be said that the luminous plankton will shine even brighter when faced with an obstacle or other stimulus. For example, if you lower your hand into the very cluster of organisms or throw a small stone at its center, the result will be a very bright flash that can instantly blind the observer.
In general, this is a very beautiful sight, because when objects fall into water filled with plankton, blue or green neon circles diverge from the place of its entry. Watching this effect relaxes well, but you should not abuse the dives.
Where to see
Luminous plankton is found in the Maldives and in the Crimea (Black Sea). It can be seen in Thailand, but judging by the reviews, infrequently. Many tourists complained that for the sake of this sight even paid beaches were visited, but often they were left with nothing.
In the presence of scuba diving equipment it is very cool to watch plankton in depth. This is comparable to being under the starfall and literally breathtaking. Nevertheless, this is only worth doing with a small concentration of organisms. This is due to the release of certain types of plankton poisonous toxins that are dangerous to human health.
Therefore, it is still safer to watch the glow from the shore. It is especially not recommended at such moments to release children into the water, because the dose of toxins, which will be trifling for adults, can cause intoxication in a growing organism.