Plankton Pt. 2

There are two types of plankton: phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton are the foundation of the marine food chain. They use photosynthesis to create food for themselves. There are two types of phytoplankton: diatoms and dinoflagellates. Diatom is the Greek word for "cut in two". Dinoflagellates resemble both plants and animals by propelling themselves with two flagella like animals and photosynthesizing like plants. Zooplankton are the primary consumers of the marine world. They feed on the phytoplankton. Then bigger fish feed on the zooplankton. Plankton are the building blocks of the marine food chain.