Importance
As you can see, plankton are small individuals. Because of this, you may be thinking "Why are they important? Why do I care?"
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Zooplankton help to filter the water by consuming phytoplankton, bacteria, and other organisms that float through the water column. Doing this creates clear water that is beneficial to other organisms as well as humans.
Phytoplankton are photosynthetic and because of this, they produce oxygen that is released into the water and, in turn, the atmosphere. Did you know? Phytoplankton produce more oxygen than all of the plants on Earth!
Both zooplankton and phytoplankton also serve as food sources for other aquatic organisms such as fish.
Another important feature of plankton is that they can tell us about other factors in the water. For example, by looking at toxins in plankton, we can know about the toxins in both the sediment and in fish.
While these organisms are small, they tell us important information and serve as important members of both aquatic systems and the world as a whole. Because of that, it is important that we study them and appreciate their significance on Earth.