OCEA 2000X Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Holoplankton, Neritic Zone, Amphipoda
31 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Zooplankton occupy the second, and higher, trophic levels. Zooplankton can be classified according to whether or not they are strictly planktonic. Meroplankton are zooplankton that spend only part of their lives in the plankton. Many benthic organisms have planktonic larval stages. Many nektonic organisms have egg or larval stages that are planktonic. Planktonic life history stages have two primary adaptive advantages: access to food and dispersal. Bivalve molluscs pass through two plankton developmental stages. The benthic zone is closer and more accessible in the neritic zone. Surface waters are more productive in the neritic zone. Holoplankton spend their entire lives in the plankton. The protozooplankton form the bulk of the microzooplanktonic members of the holoplankton. The microplankton range in size from 2o-200 mm. Foraminifera are encased in shells of calcium carbonate. Shelled pteropods produce calcium carbonate shells, while naked ones do not. big zooplankton = mesozooplankton are dominated by crustacea. Mesozooplankton range in size from 0. 2-2 mm.
