Zooplankton

Definition: Small animals and animal-like organisms that drift in oceans, lakes and rivers, carried mostly by currents. They include krill, copepods and the larvae of many larger animals.

More about zooplankton

Zooplankton feed on phytoplankton and on each other, and are in turn eaten by fish, seabirds and whales. The blue whale feeds mainly on krill.

Examples in Biosphere habitats

Species that illustrate it

Related terms