SOME ADVANTAGES OF STUDYING LIVING PHYTOPLANKTON

Many phytoplankton species are notoriously motile, fragile, difficult to preserve, and difficult to identify in preserved samples. Microscopical examinadon ofliving phytoplankton material has several advamages, though it often demands great patience. Species identification is easier and it is possible to observe e.g. life cycle, pigmentation, motility, particle uptake and some food web relationships. Rare, fragile or inconspicuous species may be easier to detect in live samples.