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Glite Dictionary
phytoplankton

phytoplankton

4 8.2
Tiny living things in water that make food from sunlight and drift in seas and lakes
  • noun
  • /ˌfaɪtəˈplæŋktən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fitoplancton
  • The temperature increase leads to the phytoplankton blooms, which in turn are grazed upon by the zooplankton.
  • phytoplankton productivity
  • phytoplankton biomass
  • phytoplankton production

So everything from the temperature to the cloud cover to the color of the oceans to see what phytoplankton is doing in the oceans.

Examples

  • Squid use polarized light to see the phytoplankton on which they feed.

    Academic text (2011)

  • For example, in a eutrophic lake sediment, microbes may break down phytoplankton and macrophytes, releasing phosphorus.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Thus, the loss of phytoplankton probably would have a significant impact upon all marine resources.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Along the California coast, they are frequently observed in areas of high phytoplankton abundance.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The effects of meroplankton grazing on phytoplankton are expected to be considerable.

    Academic text (2000)

  • During the months of high phytoplankton volumes, the occurrence of basking sharks is low.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Of the total carbon incorporated into phytoplankton biomass, 70% is from photoautotrophy and 30% is from ingestion of bacteria.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Anand Gnanadesikan and coworkers at Princeton University have recently suggested that phytoplankton may even affect the frequency of typhoons.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Scientists study phytoplankton because they are crucial for ocean ecosystems.

  • Phytoplankton are the foundation of the marine food web, supporting various marine species.

Synonyms

planktonic algae
vsphytoplankton
  • Specialized
5.5

Tiny algae made of one cell that float freely in water and feed small water animals

includes a broader range of microscopic photosynthetic organisms beyond only tiny unicellular forms

How Small

phytoplankton
  • Specialized
4 8.2
watermeal
  • Specialized
9.9
duckweed
  • Specialized
1 8.3
waterlily
1 3.0

Surface Forms

phytoplankton singular
phytoplanktons plural

Morphology

phytoplankton = plankton (semi-transparent) = phyto + plankton

The element 'phyto-' means 'plant' but is a Greek combining form not a standalone English word, so the relation to 'plankton' is clear to learners of biology but not fully obvious to average B1 learners.

Etymology

The word phytoplankton comes from phyto- meaning 'plant' and plankton meaning 'drifting'. So phytoplankton are tiny plant-like living things that drift in the water and form the plant part of plankton.