Marine Ecology:Bioluminescence
Bioluminescent Bolinopsis infundibulum. Credit: NOAA.
Published: December 4, 2010, 12:00 am
Updated: August 1, 2011, 7:53 am
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Sidney Draggan Ph.D.What is … Bioluminescence?
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism.
The light emitted by a bioluminescent organism is produced by energy released from chemical reactions occurring inside (or ejected by) the organism.
If you’ve ever seen a firefly, you have encountered a bioluminescent organism. In the ocean, bioluminescence is not as rare as you might think. In fact, most types of animals, from bacteria to sharks, include some bioluminescent members. Also, bioluminescence is found throughout marine habitats, from the ocean surface to the deep sea floor.
While the functions of bioluminescence are not known for all animals, typically bioluminescence is used to warn or evade predators, to lure or detect prey, and for communication between members of the same species.
As part of NOAA’s Ocean Exploration program, researchers have studied bioluminescence on the deep-sea floor off the Bahamas, northern Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Bight (i.e., continental shelf break and slope from the eastern coast of Florida to North Carolina).
For more ocean facts, click here.
Posted Oct. 14, 2010.
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Citation
NOAA (Content Source);Sidney Draggan Ph.D. (Topic Editor) "Bioluminescence". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth December 4, 2010; Last revised Date August 1, 2011; Retrieved May 19, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Bioluminescence?topic=49522>
What is … Bioluminescence?
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism.
The light emitted by a bioluminescent organism is produced by energy released from chemical reactions occurring inside (or ejected by) the organism.
If you’ve ever seen a firefly, you have encountered a bioluminescent organism. In the ocean, bioluminescence is not as rare as you might think. In fact, most types of animals, from bacteria to sharks, include some bioluminescent members. Also, bioluminescence is found throughout marine habitats, from the ocean surface to the deep sea floor.
While the functions of bioluminescence are not known for all animals, typically bioluminescence is used to warn or evade predators, to lure or detect prey, and for communication between members of the same species.
As part of NOAA’s Ocean Exploration program, researchers have studied bioluminescence on the deep-sea floor off the Bahamas, northern Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Bight (i.e., continental shelf break and slope from the eastern coast of Florida to North Carolina).
For more ocean facts, click here.
Posted Oct. 14, 2010.
Are you absolutely sure you want to delete this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Delete This Article
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