Talk:Zooplankton

Eucaryotes?
Are all zooplankton eucaryotes? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.209.51.168 (talk) 22:57, 11 November 2010 (UTC)

Real encyclopedia?
Is this a real encyclopedia or is just a stupid page where we put up the answers?


 * Well, that depends. Are individual editors trying to create a real encyclopedia, or are they satisfying the lowest common denominator and pasting up answers for lazy students?  As I created this article, I can confirm that, in this case, it's the former.  I can't, of course, speak for other pages.  Anyway, what kind of editor are you?  Cheers, --Plumbago 16:29, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Zooplankton location
What attracts zooplankton to one spot? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.171.58.128 (talk • contribs).


 * Most zooplankton do not have the sensory capacity to locate and travel to a remote source of food (as plankton, they cannot travel independently of the water mass that carries them). Instead, higher local concentrations are usually indicative of local population growth.  Sometimes, zooplankton undergoing diel vertical migration between the surface and deeper waters will remain at the surface if they find food particularly abundant there.  Anyway, does this help?  --Plumbago 08:47, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

External link
The original reference "* Plankton*Net, images of planktonic species" has been replaced by a new one, which leads directly to the new site. LouisBB (talk) 05:23, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

Spelling
Isn't the word properly spelled "zoöplankton" rather then "zooplankton", since the o's do not form a dipthong? --204.191.199.184 (talk) 21:59, 18 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Hmmm. There may well be a linguistic justification for "zoöplankton", but I don't think that I've ever seen it spelt this way (and I work on plankton systems).  Since I doubt that anyone will be confused by the absent "ö", I reckon we leave things as they are.  Cheers, --Plumbago (talk) 08:34, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

eat
what do they eat? --70.231.128.38 (talk) 22:57, 29 May 2008 (UTC)
 * i mean get eaten by--70.231.128.38 (talk) 22:57, 29 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Among others, larger zooplankton, fish and large filter feeders such as whales or whale sharks. --P LUMBAGO  08:55, 26 November 2008 (UTC)

they eat other plankton — Preceding unsigned comment added by 100.15.46.56 (talk) 21:41, 16 March 2016 (UTC)

Decline
These articles http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7499834.stm and http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Vanishing-zooplankton-spells-disaster-for.4278670.jp suggest that zooplankton levels are dropping. I think it only pertains to the waters around Scotland, but I'll see if I can find more. Might be worth adding... Libertyblues (talk) 17:37, 13 July 2008 (UTC)

Recent additions
I've just removed the following two paragraphs from the main body. I've done so because they contain a number of simplifications. That said, they make points that are not currently in the article, so I've tried to reword them into the text instead. Anyway, I've moved them to here in case anyone wants to discuss them further ...


 * Feeding


 * Most zooplankton are filter feeders, they use their appendages to strain bacteria and algae and other fine particles in the water. Others are predators which feed on smaller zooplankton. They are fed on by aquatic insects, fish and salamanders.


 * Most of the Zooplankton feed on phytoplankton therefore they need to be located near the phytoplankton. Phytoplankton needs to have access to sunlight to photosynthesize, therefore they must be near the surface of the water. Zooplankton also need iron in their diet therefore making the surface of the water an ideal spot for them, at the top 100 meters of the water to be exact. Just like phytoplankton, zooplankton can't swim; they float with the currents, tides and winds instead.

[Firstly, zooplankton employ a wide range of feeding techniques, of which filter feeding is just one, and it's not clear that "most zooplankton" covers it. Secondly, aquatic insects and salamanders are not major predators of zooplankton; they probably are in certain systems, but certainly not marine ones. The mention of fish, however, is important since this is missing in the article. Thirdly, many zooplankton can swim, just not as a means for getting from points A to B; avoiding visual predators and increasing encounter rate with prey are some of the reasons they swim.]


 * Breeding


 * Zooplanktons can reproduce rapidly, their populations can increase by about 30 percent a day under favorable conditions. Zooplankton live short and productive lives and reach maturity quickly. Adult females of a zooplankter called Daphnia can produce their body mass in eggs every two to three days. Daphnia live an average of one month.

[These are good points, but sources for them (especially the 30%) would be good. I've tried to add a sentence to encompass this into the main body.]

Cheers, --P LUMBAGO 09:30, 26 November 2008 (UTC)

Pronunciation
Merriam-Webster suggests the pronunciation is: \ˌzō-ə-ˈplaŋ(k)-tən, -ˌtän\ The article, especially in reference to the linguistic roots, makes this unclear. Should there be a pronunciation guide? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.115.39.168 (talk) 23:22, 3 February 2011 (UTC)

Symbiotic?
The final para says zooplankton have a symbiotic relationship with Vibrio cholerae, but the text suggests it's only a one-way benefit. Can anyone clarify? Spicemix (talk) 20:08, 24 April 2013 (UTC)

"Zooplankton form the second level in the ocean food chain"
I've removed the heading on the panel of figures that stated "Zooplankton form the second level in the ocean food chain" because this, while true, obscures the fact that they occur in higher levels of the food chain as well. As the article makes clear, zooplankton - as a broad "group" - fill many ecological roles including grazing on phytoplankton, detritivory, intra-specific cannibalism, predation and even mixotrophy. As such, describing them baldly as "the second level in the ocean food chain" isn't helpful IMHO. Cheers, --P LUMBAGO 08:53, 4 June 2013 (UTC)

Animals?
I can't tell from this article to what extent zooplankton are considered animals. By comparison, the article Animal says:


 * For instance, microscopic protozoa were originally considered animals because they move, but are now treated separately [due to evolutionary relationships].

So having the morpheme "zoo-" doesn't necessarily guarantee that they are still considered animals. I think it would be a good idea to mention in the lead whether the above quote also holds true for some (and which) zooplankton, and explain why in terms of evolutionary relationships.

Thanks. Duoduoduo (talk) 20:21, 4 November 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
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what are zooplankton
what are they 112.79.165.100 (talk) 09:52, 11 September 2022 (UTC)


 * Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. As I understand it, zooplankton is a polyphyletic grouping of marine Eukaryotes, including some animals, including members of the pancrustacea and cnidaria, and some diaphoretikes, including dinoflagellates and foraminifera. The general idea is that they cannot effectively swim against currents, and are adrift in the water of the ocean. The grouping clearly includes many very distantly-related organisms and excludes much more closely related kin of each installment. It exists as a concept because some humans must find the grouping useful in describing a quality of the organisms in common, inclduing their habitat, role in the ecosystem, and patterns of behaviour, yet it is not a natural grouping, just an arbitrary concept. Doc (talk) 09:06, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

why is the energy flow in ecosystem important?
The energy level in the ecosystem is important to maintain an ecological balance. The producers synthesis. A part of the energy is stored within the plants. The remaining energy is utilised by the plants in their growth and development. This stored energy is transferred to the primary consumers when they feed on the producers. This energy is further passes on to the secondary consumers when they feed on the Primary Consumers and so on. 112.79.165.100 (talk) 09:57, 11 September 2022 (UTC)

English
A noun is a name of a person animals place or things 102.23.96.20 (talk) 12:46, 10 January 2024 (UTC)


 * Thanks it has really helped enough 102.23.96.20 (talk) 12:47, 10 January 2024 (UTC)