Let the Sunshine In
Single-celled phytoplankton carry out photosynthesis within specialized organelles called chloroplasts. Like factories, the chloroplasts’ photosynthetic machinery requires raw materials and energy—sunlight—to operate. Cells living in the ocean must rapidly adapt to varying light levels caused by intermittent cloudy and bright conditions.
» pdf version of illustration (Illustration by Amy Caracappa-Qubeck and Katherine Joyce, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
TOPICS: Phytoplankton / Ocean Plants
Image and Visual Licensing
WHOI copyright digital assets (stills and video) contained on this website can be licensed for non-commercial use upon request and approval. Please contact WHOI Digital Assets at images@whoi.edu or (508) 289-2647.