​Process and Plankton

​Eco-Theology and Microbial Life

Plankton collected during winter in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, using a 0.2mm mesh net. The longest organism here is the pteropod mollusc, measuring about 7mm.

Today, it is fashionable and, for some, refreshing to think about extraterrestrial life. Reflecting upon "alien" forms of life is, in its own right, a spiritual activity. In "Spirituality and Practice," we read:

"In the spiritual life, imagination has two meanings. First, it is a human faculty — the part of us that traffics in images, symbols, myths, and stories. It is the capacity we all possess for innovative thinking and creative expression. Second, imagination is an inner reality, a boundless realm not defined by our senses or reason. It's a realm we recognize from our dreams and can access through specific exercises while awake. The practice of imagination encourages us to utilize this faculty and allows us to explore the realm."

Even on Earth, there are forms of life that ignite our imagination. Plankton serve as a example. These microscopic organisms are the original nomads, drifting with the currents of water and wind. While many theologians, including eco-theologians, often overlook them when discussing "life on earth," process eco-theology can provide an antidote to this neglect of the small. Process theology emphasizes the intrinsic value of all life forms, without favoring the macroscopic or human-sized. It suggests that there's a level of subjectivity, of experience even at the atomic level, even in quarks. This page is an invitation to recognize the "alien" microbial life forms on Earth, upon which larger creatures, including ourselves, deeply rely: seeing them in their beauty and strangeness. 

Introduction to Plankton

The Secret Life of Plankton

Diatom and dinoflagellate bloom in Toba Bay.

Two solitary diatoms. These centric diatoms measure 100 to 200 microns (0.1-0.2mm). The small particles within the cells are chloroplasts. Left: Odontella sinesis. Right: Odontella mobiliensis

Penaeid shrimp larva Solenocera crassicornis. Collected in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Gripping the inside of its barrel with two front and two hind legs, this phronima moves its tail to swim with the currents.

Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World,

by Christian Sardet, 2015,

The University of Chicago Press, 224 pages, 550 color plates,

ISBN 978-0-226-18871-3, $45US hardcover, $27US e-book

All images above are from Christian Sardet.

​To order the book click here.

​

"Ask anyone to picture a bird or a fish and a series of clear images will immediately come to mind. Ask the same person to picture plankton and most would have a hard time conjuring anything beyond a vague squiggle or a greyish fleck. This book will change that forever. Viewing these creatures up close for the first time can be a thrilling experience--an elaborate but hidden world truly opens up before your eyes. Through hundreds of close-up photographs, Plankton transports readers into the currents, where jeweled chains hang next to phosphorescent chandeliers, spidery claws jut out from sinuous bodies, and gelatinous barrels protect microscopic hearts. The creatures' vibrant colors pop against the black pages, allowing readers to examine every eye and follow every tentacle. Jellyfish, tadpoles, and bacteria all find a place in the book, representing the broad scope of organisms dependent on drifting currents. Christian Sardet's enlightening text explains the biological underpinnings of each species while connecting them to the larger living world. He begins with plankton's origins and history, then dives into each group, covering ctenophores and cnidarians, crustaceans and mollusks, and worms and tadpoles. He also demonstrates the indisputable impact of plankton in our lives. Plankton drift through our world mostly unseen, yet they are diverse organisms that form ninety-five percent of ocean life. Biologically, they are the foundation of the aquatic food web and consume as much carbon dioxide as land-based plants. Culturally, they have driven new industries and captured artists' imaginations. While scientists and entrepreneurs are just starting to tap the potential of this undersea forest, for most people these pages will represent uncharted waters. Plankton is a spectacular journey that will leave readers seeing the ocean in ways they never imagined. - Thriftbooks

Nine Things to Know about Plankton
​

​

1. Definition: Plankton are microscopic organisms that drift or swim weakly in aquatic environments, including oceans, seas, and freshwater bodies.
2. Two Main Types: Plankton can be broadly categorized into phytoplankton (plants) and zooplankton (animals). Phytoplankton are primarily photosynthetic, while zooplankton feed on other plankton and organic material.
3. Base of the Food Chain: Plankton form the foundation of the aquatic food web. Larger animals, including many fish and even whales, rely on plankton directly or indirectly for sustenance.
4. Oxygen Producers: Phytoplankton are responsible for producing over half of the world's oxygen through photosynthesis, making them critical for maintaining life on Earth.
5. Carbon Sink: Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, playing a key role in the carbon cycle and helping to mitigate climate change.
6. Biomass Indicators: The amount and types of plankton present in water can be an indicator of water quality and the overall health of an aquatic ecosystem.
7. Plankton Blooms: Under certain conditions, usually when nutrients are abundant, plankton can reproduce rapidly, resulting in "blooms." Some of these blooms, like those caused by certain species of dinoflagellates, can produce toxins leading to phenomena such as red tides.
8. Diversity: Plankton is incredibly diverse, with thousands of species ranging from bacteria to small crustaceans and jellyfish. They can vary in size from microscopic phytoplankton to larger organisms like jellyfish.
9. Bioluminescence: Some species of plankton are bioluminescent, meaning they can produce light. This light can be seen in certain marine environments at night and is used as a defense mechanism to deter predators or to attract mates.

​

A Process Theology of Plankton
​

Some say that God is love and humans are made in God's image. But I wonder if it is not equally plausible that they - we - are made in the image of plankton: adaptable, small by galactic standards, unique, beautiful in many ways, strange in many others, and often killing one another. If something like love lies at the core of our existence, then it seems equally true that something like competition, indifferent to the fate of others, is also within our core. We have capacities for compassion and cruelty, love and hatred. Whichever of those capacities is released in the circumstances of our lives depends, not only on our choices but also on our circumstances and the situations into which we are born, including our histories. I offer a theology of the plankton.

Misplaced Concreteness: Plankton are microscopic organisms that drift or swim weakly in aquatic environments like oceans, seas, and freshwater bodies, carried along by the currents. Plankton are unaware of this categorization. To forget this is to mistake abstractions for concreteness, falling into the fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Part of God's Body: Plankton contribute to the body of God, composing God's life. They exemplify the concept where the "many" unify to "become one" in God, the soul of the universe. 

Agency and Experience: Plankton are subjects of their own existence, not merely objects for larger species. As subjects of their own lives, plankton have value for themselves, or intrinsic value. They possess feelings, set subjective aims, make decisions, and actualize possibilities. They are molded by their genetics and environments.

Instrumental Value: Plankton have instrumental value, too. They form the foundation of the aquatic food web. Larger animals, including many fish and even whales, rely on plankton directly or indirectly for sustenance. Phytoplankton are responsible for producing over half of the world's oxygen through photosynthesis, making them critical for maintaining life on Earth. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, playing a key role in the carbon cycle and helping to mitigate climate change.

Robbery: Plankton dedicate considerable time to seeking food and vying with others for survival. Their way of life reflects Whitehead's notion that, at its core, life can be described as robbery. There is a tragic dimension to this, even for God.

Ephemerality: Plankton booms are fleeting, symbolizing the continuous fading of immediate experiences. They have made their peace with impermanence.

Anthropocentrism Challenged: Plankton serve as reminders that humans aren't the focal point of all existence and that humans are not as adept at survival. Even if much of human life disappears, for whatever reason, plankton will survive.

Purpose and Beauty: Plankton highlight that the universe's telos, and by extension God's, centers around beauty. Consider, as one of countless examples, bioluminescence.

Divine Guidance in All Life: Plankton invite us to acknowledge that all living creatures, not just humans, carry "initial aims". All are divinely guided each moment, with many beings led towards living well and relishing novelty.

Adaptability: Over time, plankton have evolved diverse adaptations to survive in various aquatic conditions. Their resilience teaches the importance of evolving and adjusting to changes in one's environment.

Value Beyond Size: Plankton's crucial roles in ecosystems underscore that size or visibility doesn't determine value. In life, it's often the unnoticed or undervalued elements that play indispensable roles.
​

Bioluminescent plankton on a South Coast beach. Picture Credit: Joanne Paquette, author of '‘Rarely Seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary’ via the National Geographic