[1][2] marine plankton include drifting organisms that inhabit the saltwater of oceans and the brackish waters of estuaries. Plankton, marine and freshwater organisms that, because they are nonmotile or too small or weak to swim against the current, exist in a drifting state Plankton is the productive base of both marine and freshwater ecosystems, providing food for larger animals and indirectly for humans. The word “plankton” comes from the greek for “drifter” or “wanderer.” an organism is considered plankton if it is carried by tides and currents, and cannot swim well enough to move against these forces. Get the definition and examples of different types of plankton and discover their ecological importance. There are two main types of plankton
Phytoplankton, which are plants, and zooplankton, which are animals Zoo plankton and other small marine creatures eat phyto plankton and then become food for fish, crustaceans, and other larger species. Plankton are fundamental to the marine ecosystem, serving as the base of the food chain and contributing to global oxygen production Plankton species vary immensely in size and type, including both phytoplankton and zooplankton, which support diverse marine life. Plankton are a collection of tiny organisms that live at and beneath the surface of lakes, rivers, ponds, and oceans across the planet. When you go swimming in a lake or in the ocean, each stroke pushes you past billions upon billions of microscopic creatures called plankton
Plankton live along coastlines and in relatively shallow water, usually in sea beds near a large landmass, called a continental shelf They are found at the equator in the pacific and atlantic oceans and in high latitude areas. Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in water that provide a crucial source of food to many small and large aquatic organisms, such as bivalves, fish and whales.
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