Plankton Facts

Plankton are tiny floating organisms (living things) that are found in both the sea and ponds and lakes.
The word ‘plankton’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘wandering’.
Plankton is a general term that includes every marine organism too small and weak to swim for itself.
The smallest algae are called plankton, but large floating algae (seaweeds) are not called plankton.
Plankton can be divided into phytoplankton, which are tiny plants, and zooplankton, which are tiny animals, but the division is blurred.
Most phytoplankton is very tiny indeed and so called nannoplankton and microplankton. Zooplankton is generally bigger and called macroplankton.
Green algae that give many ponds a bright green floating carpet are kinds of plankton.
Pliytoplankton get their energy by photosynthesis just like other plants.
Countless puffs of oxygen given out by plankton early in Earth’s history gave the air its vital oxygen.
Plankton is the basic food of all large ocean animals.

This entry is filed under Interesting Facts.