phy·to·plank·ton

(fī′tō-plăngk′tən)

Plankton that consists of minute plants and other photosynthetic organisms, including cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates.

phy′to·plank·ton′ic (-plăngk-tŏn′ĭk) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

phytoplankton

(ˌfaɪtəˈplæŋktən)

(Biology) the photosynthesizing organisms in plankton, mainly unicellular algae and cyanobacteria. Compare zooplankton

phytoplanktonic adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

phy•to•plank•ton

(ˌfaɪ təˈplæŋk tən)

n.

the aggregate of plants and plantlike organisms in plankton. Compare zooplankton.

[1895–1900]

phy·to·plank·ton

(fī′tō-plăngk′tən)

Plankton consisting of plants and plant-like organisms, such as algae. Phytoplankton are a major source of food for aquatic animals and fix large amounts of carbon, which would otherwise be released as carbon dioxide.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

phytoplankton

A type of plankton that consists of floating aquatic plants.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

phytoplankton - photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae

plant life, flora, plant - (botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion

plankton - the aggregate of small plant and animal organisms that float or drift in great numbers in fresh or salt water

planktonic algae - unicellular algae

diatom - microscopic unicellular marine or freshwater colonial alga having cell walls impregnated with silica

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The findings showed that climate change has been significantly affecting phytoplankton -- the tiny sea creatures -- in the world's oceans, which will lead to the change in colour -- intensifying its blue and green regions.

Earth won't look blue from space by end of this century, say MIT scientists

The objectives were to examine physical appearance of gills and gut, and naked with eyes as well as to assess the water quality parameter, phytoplankton abundance and community composition of water.

Huge Fish Killing after Rain at Jeddah Coast, The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

Syed Sohail at the beach in Dibba, Fujairah with bioluminescent phytoplankton. Image Credit: Supplied Highlights

Fujairah beach-goer spots mysterious glowing blue lights

Phytoplankton (Figure 1), microscopic plant-like organisms that exist in the very surface oceans, make use of this dissolved carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.

Zinc, Isotopes and Ocean Sediment: What's the Link to Earth's Future Climate?

World Wide Fund (WWF) Pakistan adviser Mohammad Moazzam Khan said that the stench emanates from the rotting of a plant phytoplankton plant that washes ashore at the end of the monsoon season.

Foul odour pervades Karachi air

Fronts bring the two things phytoplankton need together in one place.

Forecasting Where Ocean Life Thrives: SCIENTISTS FOCUS ON SEAMS IN THE OCEAN CALLED 'FRONTS'

Rodusky, 2010; Blanco et al., 2014; Zhang et al., 2015), and studies on littoral phytoplankton are extremely rare (Schweizer, 1997; Protopopova, 2003).

Response of primary producers to water level fluctuations of Lake Peipsi

Barka, Mar 12 (ONA) Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Mahrouqi, Chairman of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (Diam) today visited Barka Water Desalination Plant to identify the challenging facing the water desalination plants due to intense phytoplankton at the sea water.

Diam Chairman Visits Barka Water Desalination Plant

Summary: Ministry noted that no harmful phytoplankton that causes the death of fish and other marine species has been observed.

Fishing and swimming warning issued amid red tide presence in UAE, regional waters

Phytoplankton community in Nuevo (GN) and San Jose (GSJ) Gulfs is dominated by diatoms and dinoflagellates.

PLANKTON DYNAMICS AND MARINE BIOTOXIN TRANSFER TO TH E SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE Eubalaena australis THROUGH FEEDING IN NUEVO AND SAN JOSE GULFS, PENINSULA VALDES, CHUBUT, ARGENTINA