Zooplankton

Zooplankton

Zooplankton Zooplankton is a term used to describe plankton that gains its nutrition by eating other plankton. Plankton communities include a wide variety of zooplankton, ranging from single-celled predators to tiny animals like small crustaceans (for example, krill), and even larger creatures such as jellyfish (Plankton Manifesto, 2024). Protist Zooplankton (single-celled microbes) Most are smaller than 0.2 mm. Eat other plankton, sometimes even bigger than themselves. Some also photosynthesise (“ mixoplankton ”). Can glow (bioluminescence) or be toxic. Key link in the food web for larger animals. Metazoan Zooplankton (animals) Includes copepods, krill, jellyfish, and baby stages of many sea creatures. Usually eat smaller plankton, sometimes other zooplankton. Important food for fish, whales, and seabirds.