Ches Bay Plankton

Critters of Critters of the the

ChesapeakChesapeake Baye BayPlankto

Plankto

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The term plankton is applied to those organisms that are the

“drifters” of the sea.

Plankton

Most of these organisms are

small and if they can swim, their

progress is so slow, that they move very

little compared to the currents.

Plankton

Most marine organisms spend at

least part of their lives in the plankton.

Plankton

Everything from bacteria,

protozoans (including algae),

and animals can be found in the plankton.

Plankton

Because of this abundance of

potential food in the water, many of the marine organisms feed on plankton.

Plankton

In fact, an abundance of plankton in a

particular area usually means an

abundance of other marine organisms.

Plankton

Plankton is usually collected in a net like this one. The size of the net’s mesh will determine the size, and therefore the type of plankton

collected.

Plankton Types

Let’s take a look at some of the most common

types of plankton that are found in

the bay.

Plankton Types

Diatoms are a type of “plant”

plankton that is common in the

bay.

Copepods are the most abundant of the animal plankton types. They are Crustaceans that feed near the base of the food chain on diatoms.

Barnacle NaupliiBarnacle nauplii are

often common in inshore samples.

Barnacles go from this stage to a settling

cypris stage and then to the sessile adult

stage.

Zoea Crabs, like many

Crustaceans have a larval stage known

as a zoea. At certain times of the

year it can dominate the

samples!