Noctiluca Scintillans "EMPOWER IAS"

 

In news:

• The blooms of Noctiluca Scintillans, commonly known as “sea sparkle” are being witnessed along the coasts of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Noctiluca scintillans:

• Noctiluca scintillans is commonly known as the sea sparkle.
• It is a free-living, nonparasitic, marine-dwelling species of dinoflagellate that exhibits bioluminescence when disturbed (popularly known as mareel).
• scintillanspopulations can exhibit high concentrations due to high concentrations of the plankton on which they feed.
• And these planktons are likely due to environmental conditions such as well-mixed, nutrient-rich waters, seasonal circulation, and runoff from agricultural pollution.
• The glow produced by N. scintillans organisms can be perceived by humans as ghostly colored glow or bloom in the water.
• This bloom appears when the water is disturbed.
• This gives N. scintillans the popular names “sea ghost” or “fire of sea”.

 

Threats posed

• According to marine experts, the phenomenon is an indicator of climate change.
• While smaller blooms may be harmless, slow-moving larger blooms may have an impact on deep-sea fishes.
• The toxic blooms of N. Scintillans were linked to massive fish and marine invertebrate kills.
• Though the species does not produce a toxin, it was found to accumulate toxic levels of ammonia, which is then excreted into the surrounding waters, possibly acting as the killing agent in blooms.
• They have displaced microscopic algae called diatoms, which form the basis of the marine food chain. This has deprived food for the planktivorous fish.

 

Bioluminescence

• It is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light.
• Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence. A remarkable diversity of marine animals and microbes are able to produce their own light.
• It is found in many marine organisms such as bacteria, algae, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, sea stars, fish and sharks.
• Luminescence is generally higher in deep-living and planktonic organisms than in shallow species.