What is zooplankton

Zooplankton, or Animal Planktonit is the term that receives the whole of all and those living organisms belonging to the animal kingdom that float in the wandering way within the 200 meters deep of many of the aquatic ecosystems of the planet.

These animals that constitute zooplankton are usually mainly of microscopic size, and, together with the phytoplankton or plant planktonthey fill the sweet and salty waters of aquatic ecosystems with suspension. Let’s see in the following list more Zooplankton characteristics:

• The organisms that form zooplankton are heterotrophs, feeding on primary producers such as phytoplankton, as well as other component animals of zooplankton, and other suspension microorganisms, such as decomposing bacteria and organic waste.
• They have high growth rates and short life periods.
• Zooplankton is considered one of the essential components of the biological communities of aquatic systems, occupying the primary consumer post in the trophic chains and being the link that joins the autotrophic organisms of producers (the phytoplankton) with the secondary consumers (fish, marine mammals, some birds and all kinds of invertebrates).
• Zooplankton is present both in open sea aquatic ecosystems (seas and oceans of the world), and in freshwater lentic ecosystems (lakes, lagoons, etc.).

As we have cited previously, the animals that are part of the zooplankton They are mainly microscopic organisms, so many of them can be great unknown if we are not familiar with taxonomic groups of invertebrate animals. Probably the kril (Meganyctiphanes norvegica) Be the best known animal of zooplankton, but what about the other animals that compose it? In the next List of zooplankton examples that you can learn the name of many of them:

• Copépodos
• Cladóceros.
• Rotifers
• Ctenophores.
• Siphonophore.
• Pelagic polysthes.
• Ostrácodos.
• Equinodermos larvae.
• Small crustaceans, such as decapods, and their characteristics nauplio type larvae.
• Eggs, larvae and youth of some species of fish.

As a component of trophic chains of aquatic ecosystemsthe presence of zooplankton is essential for the proper functioning and optimal balance of these ecosystems. According to the specific composition and vital characteristics of said zooplankton, it is possible Zooplankton is an optimal quality indicator of aquatic ecosystems.

In addition, zooplankton plays a very important role within planktonic interactions, that is, in the biological relationships that occur between organisms that are part of the zooplankton-phytoplankton, as well as within the zooplankton itself.

On the other hand, the amazing biodiversity that characterizes the composition of zooplankton It is considered one of the most important natural resources of aquatic ecosystems, since they guarantee the outcrop of nutrients and animals from other links in the trophic chain during natural phenomena as important as, for example, the child.

As we have seen before, both zooplankton and phytoplankton are part of the planktonic communities that serve as food for numerous animals, thus maintaining the Trophic chains balance of aquatic ecosystems. However, there are several differences between the two groups of aquatic organisms. These are the main differences between zooplankton and phytoplankton:

• As its own names indicate, zooplankton is made up of animal species, while phytoplankton is made up of plant species.
• They are heterotrophic and autotrophic organisms, respectively.
• The zooplankton is distributed to any depth within the first 200 meters of the open sea ecosystems, while the phytoplankton is only in the highest layers, those that receive sunlight.

To finish knowing these organisms, we recommend you read these other ecology articles about what phytoplankton is and what is plankton and its importance.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is zooplanktonwe recommend that you enter our biodiversity category.