In a lake or river, for example, there are a lot of living things, such as fish, aquatic plants and algae. However, little attention is paid to the small organisms that live there and that constitute the communityplanktonic.
O plankton can be defined as a group of organisms that have little mobility capacity and that are transported horizontally in the aquatic environment. This is a very diverse group of organisms, ranging from viruses to plants and animals. Plankton are generally divided into two groups: phytoplankton, which includes autotrophic organisms, and zooplankton, which includes heterotrophic organisms.
→ The zooplankton
The term zooplankton is derived from the Greek zoon, meaning animal, and planktos, meaning drift. It consists of microscopic and heterotrophic organisms that act as herbivores, carnivores, detritivores or omnivores in the aquatic food web. The main components of zooplankton are protozoa, worms, crustaceans and insect larvae.
Zooplankton can be divided into two basic categories based on how long they remain in the plankton: o
holoplankton it's the meroplankton. Holoplankton, also called permanent zooplankton, is the organism that remains in plankton throughout its life. Meroplankton, also known as temporary zooplankton, remain only temporarily in the planktonic community, as is the case with insect and crab larvae.→ Importance of zooplankton
Zooplankton are important organisms in the aquatic food chain, as they serve as food for a variety of fish, in addition to being the largest consumers of phytoplankton. In addition, zooplankton can also be used as a bioindicator, as it is made up of beings that respond quickly to environmental changes. In view of this property, analyzing the community, it is possible to observe how changes in the environment affect certain species.
Curiosity:Did you know that some whales, despite their large size, feed almost exclusively on organisms present in zooplankton? The famous krill – a term used to name a group of marine crustaceans – is part of the diet of the blue whale, fin whale, right whale, among others.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/o-que-e/biologia/o-que-zooplancton.htm