Choreographed by Research Biologist Christian Sardet, The Plankton Chronicles is a multimedia project illuminating the life story of plankton through images, sound and high definition video.
Derived from the Greek planktos, for wandering, plankton is a hugely diverse category of organisms adrift in the world’s oceans. From tiny algae and bacteria to molluscs and jellyfish, the seldom seen creatures make up a complex web of strange behaviours and marvellous structures.
The series was conceived in the context of the Villefranche sur mer Marine Station and the Tara Oceans Expedition currently embarked upon a three-year voyage to study plankton in oceans all around the world.
The focus is mainly on the visual splendour of largely unseen marine organisms but the series also aims to raise ecological awareness by detailing the specific place in the marine ecosystem of each creature. Making up 98% of all underwater biomass, plankton is a primary source of oil and oxygen. By capturing CO2 it is also the Earth’s most important carbon well and a major climate regulator.
Stories from the Sea
After working with Véronique Kleiner of CNRS Images in 2009, Sardet pursued the project with his son Noé Sardet and Sharif Mirshak of Parafilms. He is keen to emphasise that role that both luck and patience played in capturing the species in illuminated perfection:
“Filming animal behaviour and movement can take hours of trial and error. We required lots of light and sensitive cameras. Use of dark field macroscopy and microscopy helped reveal the exquisite patterns of the transparent and gelatinous organisms and we benefited from the great new HD SLR cameras which appeared on the market just when we started the project.”
He believes all great science communication needs “a creative mix of beauty and knowledge” and the resulting videos are strange and beautiful visualisations that aim to “magnify our fascination for the wonders of underwater life”.
We’ve selected six videos recommended by Sardet but the project has over 16 videos available (as of May 2012) with more resources being added on an ongoing basis.
Media Gallery
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A variety of unicellular and multicellular organisms of comparable sizes are collected in plankton nets.
Image: C. Sardet
A variety of unicellular and multicellular organisms of comparable sizes are collected in plankton nets.
Image: C. Sardet
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A female Phronima in front of a clump of Phronima larvae.
Image: C. Sardet
A female Phronima in front of a clump of Phronima larvae.
Image: C. Sardet
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Jellyfish, shellfish larvae, egg cases measuring a few millimeters are collected in plankton nets in the bay of Villefranche sur Mer. There are also many protists consisting of a single cell: acantharians in the shape of stars, dinoflagellates with horns, green diatoms.
Image: N. and C. Sardet
Jellyfish, shellfish larvae, egg cases measuring a few millimeters are collected in plankton nets in the bay of Villefranche sur Mer. There are also many protists consisting of a single cell: acantharians in the shape of stars, dinoflagellates with horns, green diatoms.
Image: N. and C. Sardet
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Oxygyrus sp. is a beautifully colored heteropod measuring a few millimeters. It has a thin lobed foot or fin, and a transparent shell. This specimen was collected in the Indian Ocean during the Tara Ocean expedition, May 2010.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
Oxygyrus sp. is a beautifully colored heteropod measuring a few millimeters. It has a thin lobed foot or fin, and a transparent shell. This specimen was collected in the Indian Ocean during the Tara Ocean expedition, May 2010.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
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Gymnosomes have no shell. Their name comes from the Greek word "soma"= body, and "gumnos"= naked.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
Gymnosomes have no shell. Their name comes from the Greek word "soma"= body, and "gumnos"= naked.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
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Heteropod snails like this Atlanta peroni have only one lobed foot or fin, and a thin calcareous shell so transparent that its organs can be seen.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
Heteropod snails like this Atlanta peroni have only one lobed foot or fin, and a thin calcareous shell so transparent that its organs can be seen.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
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Large centric diatoms (1 mm) collected in the Patagonian channels. Through the siliceous exoskeleton shell we can distinguish granular bodies corresponding to chloroplasts.
Image: C. Sardet, CRNS, Tara Oceans
Large centric diatoms (1 mm) collected in the Patagonian channels. Through the siliceous exoskeleton shell we can distinguish granular bodies corresponding to chloroplasts.
Image: C. Sardet, CRNS, Tara Oceans
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These ctenophores measure 20 cm (Leucothea multicornis) and 10 cm (Beroe ovata). Each has the 8 rows of ciliated comb plates characteristic of ctenophores. Along with cnidarians and sponges, they are the oldest animals in the world.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
These ctenophores measure 20 cm (Leucothea multicornis) and 10 cm (Beroe ovata). Each has the 8 rows of ciliated comb plates characteristic of ctenophores. Along with cnidarians and sponges, they are the oldest animals in the world.
Image: C. and N. Sardet
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Christian Sardet (centre), flanked by Sharif Mirshak and Noe Sardet of Parafilms (Montreal).
Image: C. Sardet
Christian Sardet (centre), flanked by Sharif Mirshak and Noe Sardet of Parafilms (Montreal).
Image: C. Sardet
Related link(s)
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The Plankton Chronicles
Visit the project website
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
CNRS Institutes INSB et INEE
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Pierre et Marie Curie University
UPMC
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Tara Expeditions
Tara Oceans
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Parafilms
www.parafilms.com
Related download(s)
Tweets from @ChristianSardet
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@ChristianSardet See best short film "Fish story: my secret life as plankton" http://t.co/ekjwxJkH and Plankton Chronicles http://t.co/ekjwxJkH
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@ChristianSardet Our video "Fish Story: my secret life as plankton got 2 prizes for best short films in Monterey Blue Oceans and Bristol Wildscreen festivals
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@ChristianSardet @TEDchris California visit in august. Hope to meet, discuss biology Christian Sardet, co author of Secret Life... and How life begins...
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@ChristianSardet Conférence aux Ile de Lerins Samedi 9 juin dans le cadre de la journée Mondiale des Oceans Tara Oceans et Chroniques http://t.co/bd6rCHwY
Image: The Plankton Chronicles
