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

The phytoplankton, microscopic plants that float near the surface of water, had begun to remodel the lake into an environment that could once again sustain larger life.

From Literature

SAR11 populations often drop during the later stages of phytoplankton blooms, a period marked by rising levels of organic matter in the water.

From Science Daily

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