Haptophyte

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/haptophyte

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Haptophyta
2. What are haptophytes and why are they important for the ocean?They are tiny single‑cell algae that live in the ocean and make oxygen by photosynthesis. They also give food to many sea creatures.
3. How do haptophytes help make clouds or affect the climate?Some haptophytes produce a gas called dimethyl sulfide that can turn into tiny cloud particles, helping clouds form and keeping the planet cooler.

Primary Production: The creation of organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic carbon dioxide, primarily through photosynthesis.
Biogenic Calcification: The process by which living organisms produce mineralized structures, such as shells or skeletons, from calcium carbonate.
Ocean Acidification: The ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS): A volatile sulfur compound produced by marine organisms, influencing cloud formation and climate.