It looks like a scene from another world - but these are "unseen" creatures off the British coast. Scientist Dr Richard Kirby captured microscopic autumn phytoplankton and zooplankton in bloom off Plymouth this month. He says the phytoplankton in the sea account for over 50% of all photosynthesis on Earth and, through the food web they support, they underpin the marine food chain. Dr Kirby explains: "I sample the plankton by towing nets behind my boat. I then take the samples to my laboratory where I study them under a microscope. "I use my observations of the plankton to help me understand the marine food chain and how it is influenced by the environment. "I use imagery to help engage the public with this remarkable world of life that to most people is unseen. "The magnification in the video is approximately 40x and in the still images up to 112x - although the magnification perceived by the viewer will depend upon the size they are printed. "The sample shows that the bloom of autumn phytoplankton, the microscopic golden coloured cells of various shapes, is in full swing." Dr Kirby began a citizen science 'Secchi Disk' study ten years ago, to engage sailors in phytoplankton research. The simple Secchi Disk measuring device can be dipped below the waves to gather data on the state of the oceans' phytoplankton. He explains: "The Secchi Disk study is now the world’s largest marine citizen science study collecting hard to get, in situ data on the phytoplankton in our oceans. "The phytoplankton underpins the marine food chain, it begins with the phytoplankton that fix carbon dioxide in the process called photosynthesis, just like plants on land. "Just like gardeners will notice that the grass in their garden grows most in spring and autumn, so the phytoplankton in the sea also blooms at these two times of year at our latitude. "The amount of phytoplankton underpins the abundance of all other life in the sea. “Twelve years ago, three Canadian scientists looked at 100 years of global phytoplankton records to the present day and reported that they saw a decline in global abundance of 40% over the last 50 years; they attributed this to warmer seas due to climate change. "Fewer phytoplankton mean fewer fish and other marine creatures and so it’s essential that we collect more data on the phytoplankton to understand their changing abundance. "Without the plankton there would not be any fish in the sea, crabs on the seashore, seabirds in the sky, or polar bears on the ice. "
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