Chroococcus sp. The blue-green bacterium powering the world with oxygen
Take a deep breath – without cyanobacteria like Chroococcus sp., that might not be possible. This blue-green bacterium performs photosynthesis and produces oxygen. In doing so, it plays an essential role in sustaining life on Earth.
Cyanobacterium
Chroococcus sp. is a cyanobacterium, also known as blue-green algae. These organisms are bacteria that perform photosynthesis. Using the pigment chlorophyll (leaf green), they convert COâ‚‚ and water into sugars and oxygen with the help of sunlight. That makes them important oxygen producers, contributing significantly to the oxygen levels in water. In fact, aquatic organisms are responsible for more than half of the oxygen on Earth.
Slimy
Chroococcus sp. surrounds itself with a slimy layer, which helps it stick to other Chroococcus cells. Together, they float through the water as a kind of ‘slimy little cloud’. Sometimes, these clouds are even large enough to be visible to the naked eye.
Swimming water
You’ve probably seen them: warning signs near lakes and ponds advising people not to swim due to blue-green algae. That’s because some cyanobacteria produce toxins. When they grow in large numbers, these toxins can build up in the water. In large concentrations, they’re not the best swimming buddies.
Why is Chroococcus sp. important?
Without bacteria like Chroococcus sp., there would be far less oxygen in our waters – and in the atmosphere. This microbe is one of many natural producers that keep life on Earth going – for fish, for plants, and for you.
Want to learn more about microbes?
Chroococcus sp. is just one of the many microbes on display at ARTIS-Micropia. Each of these microscopic organisms plays its own unique role in the world. Visit us and discover them all!