1. Plankton and Plant Life
By: Ryan Merrigan, Ella Hauser, Sydney Broadway, and Jack Wills

2. Zooplankton
Zooplankton- consist of small animals of immature stages of larger animals
They are located at the top of saltwater, at freshwater, and at wetlands
Zooplankton cannot use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into food
Zooplankton can be unicellular or multicellular

3. Zooplankton The benefits of Zooplankton are:
Zooplankton help food chains and webs because they are the base of the food chain for a lot of animals. Many animals rely on them to get food
Zooplankton cannot produce their own food. They are relied on to eat millions of algae, otherwise the algae will grow out-of-control
Algae- is a group of organisms that can produce photosynthesis

4. Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton- are microscopic organisms which use photosynthesis and creates materials for cellular respiration
They are located in the surface zone in the outer ocean
Photosynthesis- sunlight is converted into food
Cellular respiration- carbon dioxide is converted into oxygen

5. Phytoplankton The benefits of Phytoplankton are
They start the food chain
Phytoplankton is eaten by zooplankton
Zooplankton is then eaten by fish
Phytoplankton is a source of oxygen
Phytoplankton use photosynthesis because it’s a plant-like plankton while zooplankton is more animal-like.
They produce sugar to use for cellular respiration because photosynthesis always creates sugar and oxygen

6. Coral Reefs
Coral Reefs- are ridges of rocks formed by the growth deposit of coral
Deposit of coral means to accumulate to form reefs or islands in tropical areas
Coral reefs need to be in an area with warm tropical water in order to grow
They can spread to 1250 miles(660,000 ft) long!, that distance can stretch between Chicago, Illinois, to San Antonio, Texas.

7. Coral Reefs What do coral reefs provide to other animals and plants?
protection for animals from predators
homes for all kinds of fish
They are only found near shore because:
they need sunlight to survive and if they do not they will eventually die of no nutrients

8. Kelp Forest
Kelp forest appear when seaweed attaches to the ocean floor making giant stalks of kelp.
Air bubbles get caught in between the kelp helping it rises to the surface to get the sunlight it needs
They’re only found in waters near the shore
Provides habitat for sea urchins, sheephead, and giant sea bass

9. Additional facts
Phytoplankton provides around 50% of the world’s oxygen.
There are about 5,000 known species of phytoplankton
Phytoplankton can grow out of control and form harmful algal blooms
Phytoplankton

10. Q&A Why are coral reefs helpful for animals?
How do zooplankton affect the food chain?

11. Sources http://marinebio.org/oceans/zooplankton/
Science textbook grade 8 page c122, 124, 125, 126