Sheldon J. Plankton is a copepod who resides in Bikini Bottom of the Pacific Ocean. He is the owner of The Chum Bucket, along with his wife Karen. He aspires to obtain the recipe for the Krabby Patty by any means necessary.
Wait. Wait. Wait. Not that plankton. Sorry, let's start again.
Plankton is the basis on which all aquatic life depends on to survive. Without plankton, there is no sea life, no freshwater life, and no fisheries. Plankton are little more than microorganisms but they play the biggest role in any system of water.
Here's how it works. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that inhabit the upper portions of all bodies of water. It is like any other plant, it uses photosynthesis to create energy. Phytoplankton absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, and therefore play an integral role in regulating carbon dioxide levels. Phytoplankton is eaten by zooplankton.
Zooplankton are animals that drift in the water and can be microscopic or larger in size like a jellyfish. Zooplankton eat phytoplankton as well as fellow zooplankton. Zooplankton cannot exist without phytoplankton. Zooplankton also eats microplastics that are present in all water systems. Microplastics cause adverse effects in plankton impacting their feeding, reproduction behaviors, growth, and development, as well as decreased life span.
Zooplankton is eaten by fish, squid, sea birds, and marine mammals. Filter feeders such as clams, Antarctic krill, baleen whales, and the whale shark eat zooplankton. Zooplankton is an extremely important food source for fish and whales.
Without plankton, aquatic life will cease to exist.
Sheldon J. Plankton, copepod, and essential member of aquatic life.
No comments:
Post a Comment