Mixoplankton

Mixoplankton

Mixoplankton A large number of planktonic protists (tiny, single-celled eukaryotes) don’t just photosynthesise or graze: they do both. These are known as mixoplankton , and they’ve been hiding in plain sight. Mixoplankton blur the lines between producers and consumers. They fix carbon through photosynthesis, absorb dissolved organics, and also engulf prey. This isn’t a rare exception – it’s widespread, and many common plankton species are in this group. Learn more: https://pml.ac.uk/news/think-you-know-your-mixoplankton-from-your-phytoplankton/ https://www.mixotroph.org/what-are-mixoplankton-2/