Question

Can phytoplankton become extinct? if so how can we protect it ...

Answer 1

Yes and unfortunately its population is becoming at risk of this scenario. Specifically phytoplankton population has dropped 40% since 1950. Why? Part of it are issues with the ocean's ecosystem. Think fisheries, pollution, rise in sea surface temperature, etc. Here is an article that you may find helpful in grasping the current status of our world's precious phytoplankton: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=phytoplankton-population

Answer 2

How to protect it is to carefully watch our ocean's and everything that humans do to this planet. That piece of paper that flew out of your car window may not seem like a big deal but think of where it will end up and what can happen. What about a sewage pipe breaking and leaking into nearby water ways? There are so many ways we can preserve phytoplankton but unfortunately policy makers just don't seem to think it should take priority over other things. Especially when it is cheaper to bury trash underground rather then recycling it.

Answer 3

Any species can become extinct.

Oh, and one thing that you probably should know before answering this question is that "phytoplankton" is actually a category of organisms, kind of like "trees". Phytoplankton are just microscopic photosynthetic organisms that live in the top layer of water. Important groups include diatoms, dinoflagellates, various other types of algae, and cyanobacteria.