![]() The light emitted by the millions of phytoplankton, unite in a visual symphony that turns the sea into a cluster of stars in plain sight, hence the name Sea of Stars. Phytoplankton inhabits more on the surface but is one of the few organisms that can effervesce in luminescence. Eighty percent of the animals that live between 2 meters, known as the twilight zone because it is the region where the sun’s rays are lost, have bioluminescence. The stress caused by the movement of the tide and the swaying of the waves causes the dinoflagellates to produce light as a defense mechanism similar to that of fireflies.Īccording to the University of Florida’s Institute of the Environment, bioluminescence is very rare in terrestrial ecosystems but is very common in the deep ocean. ![]() The bioluminescence of the Sea of Stars is produced by tiny organisms called dinoflagellates (Lingulodinium polyedrum) that belong to the phytoplankton family. During the nights in the Indian Ocean, the beaches of Vaadhoo are flooded with hundreds of thousands of organisms that can convert the chemical reactions in their bodies into a dazzling sea full of electrifying blue flashes. Vaadhoo Island is one of the islands of Raa Atoll, Maldives, and is the most visited site to admire the bioluminescence, of the so-called Sea of Stars. The geography of these islands is so peculiar that it has given rise to the beings that make up the ecosystems are very peculiar and in fact, are home to one of the largest bioluminescence refuges on the planet. The Maldives are a group of 1200 islands that are located in the Indian Ocean, characterized by a natural beauty that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. But when it comes to bioluminescence, there is one that cannot go unnoticed, the Sea of Stars. ![]() From the melodious soundscapes of the forests to the seas covered by tens of thousands of glittering sparkles, each natural site has its own charm. A recent study co-authored by Hastings has for the first time identified a special channel in the dinoflagellate cell membrane that responds to electrical signals-offering a potential mechanism for how the algae create their unique illumination.The Sea of Stars is one of the most extraordinary rarities to visit in the Maldives, where nature has unique ways of astounding us through all the senses. ![]() The most common type of marine bioluminescence is generated by phytoplankton known as dinoflagellates. "I've been across the Atlantic and Pacific, and I've never seen a spot that wasn't bioluminescent or a night that couldn't be seen," Hastings said. (Also see "Glowing Sea Beasts: Photos Shed Light on Bioluminescence.") Various species of phytoplankton are known to bioluminesce, and their lights can be seen in oceans all around the world, said marine biologist and bioluminescence expert Woodland Hastings of Harvard University. The biological light, or bioluminescence, in the waves is the product of marine microbes called phytoplankton-and now scientists think they know how some of these life-forms create their brilliant blue glow. Pinpricks of light on the shore seem to mirror stars above in an undated picture taken on Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives. A recent study co-authored by Hastings has for the first time identified a special channel in the dinoflagellate cell membrane that responds to electrical signals-offering a potential mechanism for how the algae create their unique illumination.-Ker Than (Also see "Glowing Sea Beasts: Photos Shed Light on Bioluminescence.")"I've been across the Atlantic and Pacific, and I've never seen a spot that wasn't bioluminescent or a night that couldn't be seen," Hastings said.The most common type of marine bioluminescence is generated by phytoplankton known as dinoflagellates.
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