What does zooplankton mean?
Definitions for zooplankton
ˌzoʊ əˈplæŋk tənzoo·plank·ton
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word zooplankton.
Princeton's WordNet
zooplanktonnoun
animal constituent of plankton; mainly small crustaceans and fish larvae
Wiktionary
zooplanktonnoun
Small protozoa, crustaceans (such as krill), etc. and the eggs and larvae from larger animals.
Wikipedia
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are the animal component of the planktonic community ("zoo" comes from the Greek word for animal). Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents. Consequently, they drift or are carried along by currents in the ocean, or by currents in seas, lakes or rivers. Zooplankton can be contrasted with phytoplankton, which are the plant component of the plankton community ("phyto" comes from the Greek word for plant). Zooplankton are heterotrophic (other-feeding), whereas phytoplankton are autotrophic (self-feeding). In other words, zooplankton cannot manufacture their own food. Rather, they must eat other plants or animals instead. In particular, they eat phytoplankton, which are generally smaller than zooplankton. Most zooplankton are microscopic but some (such as jellyfish) are macroscopic, meaning they can be seen with the naked eye.Many protozoans (single-celled protists that prey on other microscopic life) are zooplankton, including zooflagellates, foraminiferans, radiolarians, some dinoflagellates and marine microanimals. Macroscopic zooplankton include pelagic cnidarians, ctenophores, molluscs, arthropods and tunicates, as well as planktonic arrow worms and bristle worms. The distinction between plants and animals often breaks down in very small organisms. Recent studies of marine microplankton have indicated over half of microscopic plankton are mixotrophs. A mixotroph is an organism that can behave sometimes as though it were a plant and sometimes as though it were an animal, using a mix of autotrophy and heterotrophy. Many marine microzooplankton are mixotrophic, which means they could also be classified as phytoplankton.
ChatGPT
zooplankton
Zooplankton are small, often microscopic, aquatic animals that float or drift in the water, usually in the upper sunlit layer of bodies of water such as the ocean, rivers, or lakes. This group includes different species like tiny crustaceans, fish larvae, and various types of worms. They are a key component of aquatic food chains, serving as primary food source for a variety of larger organisms.
Wikidata
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon, meaning "animal", and planktos, meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Individual zooplankton are usually too small to be seen with the naked eye, but some, such as jellyfish, are large.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
Zooplankton
Minute free-floating animal organisms which live in practically all natural waters.
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of zooplankton in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of zooplankton in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
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"zooplankton." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/zooplankton>.
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