Marine biologyLesson 1 of 3 in the course Plankton and marine food webs

Plankton: Diversity, Ecology, and Global Roles

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Plankton are organisms whose movement is mainly governed by currents or wind. This lesson introduces the meaning of plankton and explains how scientists distinguish plankton from other organisms in aquatic environments.

The word plankton comes from the Greek planktos, meaning “drifter” or “wanderer.” Plankton are organisms that drift in water—or, in the case of aeroplankton, in air—and cannot actively propel themselves strongly enough to overcome the surrounding current or wind.

All flashcards

What is plankton?
Organisms that drift in water or air and generally cannot propel themselves strongly enough to move against currents or wind.
How do holoplankton differ from meroplankton?
Holoplankton remain planktonic throughout their life cycle; meroplankton are planktonic for only part of it.
What are mixoplankton?
Plankton that combine producer and consumer strategies, such as photosynthesizing and ingesting prey.
What happens in the microbial loop?
Bacteria consume dissolved organic matter and can be eaten by larger microorganisms, returning energy and nutrients to the food web.
What is the biological pump?
The transfer of carbon from surface waters to deeper waters as organic material sinks.

Quiz questions

  1. Which feature primarily defines an organism as plankton?Answer: A drifting way of life with limited movement against the surrounding flow
  2. What does the viral shunt do to material in planktonic food webs?Answer: It releases cellular material and nutrients when viruses lyse host cells.
  3. What describes meroplankton?Answer: Organisms that are planktonic for only part of their life cycle
  4. How can marine snow support organisms at depth?Answer: Sinking organic matter supplies material that deep-water organisms can use.
  5. Which micronutrient can limit phytoplankton growth in some high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions?Answer: Iron

Based on the Wikipedia article Plankton, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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