Introduction
Bioluminescence is the production of light as a result of a chemical reaction within an organism. The phenomenon is most predominantly found in the ocean, more specifically the deep ocean, where light from the sun cannot reach (University, 2014). Dinoflagellates are unicellular protists, a type of eukaryote, and are often the primary food source in aquatic food chains, as they are most commonly found in plankton. Key characteristics of dinoflagellates are their two flagella that aid with movement and their various cell structures including nuclei, and in some species of dinoflagellates, bioluminescence (Smithsonian, 2014). While bioluminescence within dinoflagellates is not completely understood, it is known that the light produced is the result of a chemical reaction that increases the amount of protons flowing into the cell, also causing a drop in the pH of the organism. In marine environments, dinoflagellate bioluminescence is found to have a disruptive effect on the feeding habits of predators. The emission of light from a single dinoflagellate usually only lasts about 100 milliseconds and is most commonly observed at night. This observation is a result of the period during the day that the organisms need to “recharge” their chemicals in order to be able to produce a light emission during the night to scare away or at least interrupt predators (Scripps, 1995). While the production of light is known to occur in predator-prey situations, it has also been found to occur by stirring the water around a swarm of dinoflagellates to simulate a predatory fish swimming nearby enough to generate waves that would alert nearby organisms of its presence (Latz, 2007).
all sources have been sited |