phytoplankton

American  

[fahy-tuh-plangk-tuhn] / ˌfaɪ təˈplæŋk tən /

noun

1. the aggregate of plants and plantlike organisms in plankton.

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phytoplankton British  

/ ˌfaɪtəˈplæŋktən, ˌfaɪtəplæŋkˈtɒnɪk /

noun

1. the photosynthesizing organisms in plankton, mainly unicellular algae and cyanobacteria Compare zooplankton

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phytoplankton Scientific  

/ fī′tō-plăngk′tən /

1. Plankton consisting of free-floating algae, protists, and cyanobacteria. Phytoplankton form the beginning of the food chain for aquatic animals and fix large amounts of carbon, which would otherwise be released as carbon dioxide.

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Other Word Forms

• phytoplanktonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of phytoplankton

First recorded in 1895–1900; phyto- + plankton

Example Sentences

In ocean ecosystems, microplastics interfere with natural carbon storage by affecting phytoplankton and zooplankton, organisms that are essential to carbon cycling.

From Science Daily

Marine phytoplankton are tiny algae that sit at the base of ocean food webs.

From Science Daily

"As ice decreases in the future, we expect to see increased consumption of nutrients by phytoplankton in the Arctic, which has consequences for the food web," Pavia said.

From Science Daily

All appear free from the layer of phytoplankton detritus covering the nearby seabed -- a sharp contrast easily seen in the central portion of the image.

From Science Daily

The creatures eat phytoplankton on the ocean surface which grow by transforming carbon dioxide into living matter through photosynthesis.

From BBC