zooplankton

(noun)

Small protozoa, crustaceans (such as krill), and the eggs and larvae from larger animals.

Related Terms

Examples of zooplankton in the following topics:

  • Planktonic Food Webs

    • Primarily by grazing on phytoplankton, zooplankton provide carbon to the planktic foodweb, either respiring it to provide metabolic energy, or upon death as biomass or detritus.
    • For example, at interannual scales phytoplankton levels temporarily plummet during El Nino periods, influencing populations of zooplankton, fish, sea birds, and marine mammals.
    • Additionally, changes in the mortality of phytoplankton due to rates of zooplankton grazing may be significant.
    • Zooplankton are the initial prey item for almost all fish larvae as they switch from their yolk sacs to external feeding.
    • Fish rely on the density and distribution of zooplankton to match that of new larvae, which can otherwise starve.

  • Planktonic Communities

    • Plankton are primarily divided into broad functional (or trophic level) groups: Phytoplankton , Zooplankton, and Bacterioplankton.
    • Zooplankton (from Greek zoon, or animal), small protozoans or metazoans (e.g. crustaceans and other animals) that feed on other plankton and telonemia.
    • Additionally, changes in the mortality of phytoplankton due to rates of zooplankton grazing may be significant.
    • Zooplankton are the initial prey item for almost all fish larvae as they switch from their yolk sacs to external feeding.
    • Fish rely on the density and distribution of zooplankton to match that of new larvae, which can otherwise starve.

  • Wastewater and Sewage Treatment

    • Water is stored in a lagoon and native plants, bacteria, algae, and small zooplankton filter nutrients and small particles from the water.

  • Petroleum Biodegradation

    • It is a product of decaying organic matter, such as algae and zooplankton.