Definitions for meroplankton
mero·plank·ton

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. meroplanktonnoun

   Any organism that spends part of its life-cycle (especially the larval stage) as plankton

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Meroplankton

   Meroplankton are a wide variety of aquatic organisms which have both planktonic and benthic stages in their life cycles. Much of the meroplankton consists of larval stages of larger organism. Meroplankton can be contrasted with holoplankton, which are planktonic organisms that stay in the pelagic zone as plankton throughout their entire life cycle.After a period of time in the plankton, many meroplankton graduate to the nekton or adopt a benthic (often sessile) lifestyle on the seafloor. The larval stages of benthic invertebrates make up a significant proportion of planktonic communities. The planktonic larval stage is particularly crucial to many benthic invertebrate in order to disperse their young. Depending on the particular species and the environmental conditions, larval or juvenile-stage meroplankton may remain in the pelagic zone for durations ranging from hour to months.Not all meroplankton are larvae or juvenile stages of larger organisms. Many dinoflagellates are meroplanktonic, undergoing a seasonal cycle of encystment and dormancy in the benthic zone followed by excystment and reproduction in the pelagic zone before returning to the benthic zone once more. There also exist meroplanktonic diatoms; these have a seasonal resting phase below the photic zone and can be found commonly amongst the benthos of lakes and coastal zones.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Meroplankton

   Meroplankton are organisms that are planktonic for only a part of their life cycles, usually the larval stage. Examples of meroplankton include the larvae of sea urchins, sea stars, crustaceans, marine worms, some marine gastropods and most fish. Some dinoflagellates and diatoms are also meroplanktonic. Meroplankton spend only the larval or early stages of their life as part of the plankton and spend their adult lives on the reef. Some, like polychaete worms, will then revisit the plankton during their reproductive stages. Many of the common, well-known animals found on the Great Barrier Reef spend time as free-swimming meroplankton, bearing little or no resemblance to the adult they will become. The differences between the appearance of larval and adult stages led to much confusion in the past when larval forms were often believed to be completely different species from the adults. While living in the plankton, meroplankton either feed on other members of the plankton, or they live off the yolk they have retained from the egg they hatched from. Larvae spend varying amounts of time in the plankton, from minutes to over a year. However, just how long these tiny animals can be considered truly planktonic is under some debate. Scientists in recent years have discovered that many of these tiny animals in the plankton quickly become very good swimmers capable of incredible feats of speed and endurance.

How to pronounce meroplankton?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say meroplankton in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of meroplankton in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of meroplankton in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Meroplankton
2. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meroplankton
3. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=meroplankton