The identification of planktonic organisms by their bioluminescent signals

✍ Scribed by Evstigneev, P. V. ;Cheripanov, O. V.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Weight: 14 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0884-3996
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1271(199701/02)12:1<41::aid-bio434>3.0.co;2-e

✦ Synopsis

Discussion

Our 20-year field studies, combined with the previous overviews on the problem (1-3) have enabled us to identify about 500 bioluminescent species in the plankton of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and in the Mediterranean basin. Characteristics of the bioluminescence of the plankton can vary considerably. The reasons for this include: Type of stimulation. Chemical, electrical and mechanical stimulation of any plankton species, including phytoplanktonic algae, lead to different results. The energy and duration of flashes are most high from chemical stimulation and are minimal for mechanical. In crustaceans, for example, these differences can reach several orders of magnitude.