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Half of the Earth’s oxygen comes from the oceans, where photosynthesizing microorganisms called phytoplankton contribute 50-85% of the oxygen in the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Phytoplankton are too small to see but are noticeable as colored spots on water surfaces.
While we usually think of jungles and rainforests like the Amazon as the “lungs” of the planet, that’s not exactly true. While we owe much of the planet’s oxygen to trees and other land plants, at least half of the oxygen actually comes from the oceans. A key component of ecosystems in the oceans, seas, and freshwater basins, photosynthesizing microorganisms known as phytoplankton contribute an estimated 50 to 85 percent of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere. You are probably breathing oxygen produced by these unicellular plants right now.
Small plants with a big role:
The name “phytoplankton” comes from the Greek words phyton (meaning plant) and planktos (meaning wanderer or wanderer).
The phytoplankton are too small to see individually, but in large numbers they are noticeable as colored spots on the surface of the water, appearing green due to the plant’s chlorophyll content.
Phytoplankton use the sun’s energy to convert carbon dioxide and nutrients into organic compounds, which form new plant material and create oxygen in a process known as photosynthesis.
