WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PRIMARY PRODUCTION?
Primary Production is the result of photosynthesis by a diverse community
of phytoplankton.
- Microscopic algae (phytoplankton) are actually single-celled plants
that come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
- Most algae in San Francisco Bay are less than 50 micrometers in diameter.
A human hair is about 70 micrometers across.
- Each individual cell is a floating plant that grows and dies in response
to conditions in the Bay.
Here are some examples of algae found in San Francisco Bay:
click on an image to see a larger version
The URL of this page is http://sfbay.wr.usgs.gov/access/ColeCloern/WhoDoes.html
Pages created and maintained by Laura Zink Torresan
Last modified: 2 April 1997