phytoplankton
noun
phy·to·plank·ton
ˌfī-tō-ˈplaŋ(k)-tən 
-ˌtän
plural phytoplankton also phytoplanktons
: minute aquatic photosynthetic organisms (such as dinoflagellates, diatoms, and cyanobacteria) : photosynthetic plankton of freshwater or marine environments
Twenty to 40 different species of phytoplankton … can coexist within a single cubic centimeter of water, all vying just for light and a handful of nutrients.—
O. Baker
O. BakerPhytoplankton—myriad small, mostly unicellular algae and bacteria that occupy the surface waters of seas and lakes—dominate aquatic primary production, and over time they have radically altered Earth's atmosphere.—Robert Riding
Robert RidingPhytoplankton form the foundation of marine food chains, and their seasonal blooms are responsible for more than half the photosynthesis, and the resulting production of oxygen, that occurs on Earth.—Robin George Andrews
Robin George AndrewsAntarctic krill are thumb-sized crustaceans that feast on drifting phytoplankton …—Usha Lee McFarling
compare zooplankton
Usha Lee McFarlingExamples of phytoplankton in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The spacecraft is equipped with instruments to assess the health of the oceans by measuring the distribution of phytoplankton, tiny plants and algae.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 25 June 2024
Its three instruments will look at the interactions of sunlight with clouds, a whole catalog of aerosol particulates in the air and phytoplankton, which form the base of the ocean food chain, in the sea.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2024
This nourishes phytoplankton, which generates about half of the world’s oxygen and absorbs substantial amounts of CO2, equivalent to the capacity of four Amazon rainforests.
—Jared Formanek, CNN, 14 June 2024
Zooplankton, which eat the phytoplankton, emerge just after the phytoplankton bloom.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for phytoplankton 
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 25 June 2024
Its three instruments will look at the interactions of sunlight with clouds, a whole catalog of aerosol particulates in the air and phytoplankton, which form the base of the ocean food chain, in the sea.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2024
This nourishes phytoplankton, which generates about half of the world’s oxygen and absorbs substantial amounts of CO2, equivalent to the capacity of four Amazon rainforests.
—Jared Formanek, CNN, 14 June 2024
Zooplankton, which eat the phytoplankton, emerge just after the phytoplankton bloom.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for phytoplankton
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Dictionary Entries Near phytoplankton
Cite this Entry
“Phytoplankton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phytoplankton. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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phytoplankton
noun
phy·to·plank·ton
ˌfī-tō-ˈplaŋ(k)-tən
-ˌtän
: plankton that is composed of plants
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