Talk:Zooplankton
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[edit] Real encyclopedia?
Is this a real encyclopedia or is just a stupid page where we put up the answers?
- Well, that depends. Are individual editors trying to create a real encyclopedia, or are they satisfying the lowest common denominator and pasting up answers for lazy students? As I created this article, I can confirm that, in this case, it's the former. I can't, of course, speak for other pages. Anyway, what kind of editor are you? Cheers, --Plumbago 16:29, 29 June 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Zooplankton location
fuck wiki? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.171.58.128 (talk • contribs).
- Most zooplankton do not have the sensory capacity to locate and travel to a remote source of food (as plankton, they cannot travel independently of the water mass that carries them). Instead, higher local concentrations are usually indicative of local population growth. Sometimes, zooplankton undergoing diel vertical migration between the surface and deeper waters will remain at the surface if they find food particularly abundant there. Anyway, does this help? --Plumbago 08:47, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
[edit] External link
The original reference "* Plankton*Net, images of planktonic species" has been replaced by a new one, which leads directly to the new site. LouisBB (talk) 05:23, 21 December 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Spelling
Isn't the word properly spelled "zoöplankton" rather then "zooplankton", since the o's do not form a dipthong? --204.191.199.184 (talk) 21:59, 18 May 2008 (UTC)
- Hmmm. There may well be a linguistic justification for "zoöplankton", but I don't think that I've ever seen it spelt this way (and I work on plankton systems). Since I doubt that anyone will be confused by the absent "ö", I reckon we leave things as they are. Cheers, --Plumbago (talk) 08:34, 19 May 2008 (UTC)
[edit] eat
what do they eat? --70.231.128.38 (talk) 22:57, 29 May 2008 (UTC)
- i mean get eaten by--70.231.128.38 (talk) 22:57, 29 May 2008 (UTC)
- Among others, larger zooplankton, fish and large filter feeders such as whales or whale sharks. --PLUMBAGO 08:55, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Decline
These articles http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7499834.stm and http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Vanishing-zooplankton-spells-disaster-for.4278670.jp suggest that zooplankton levels are dropping. I think it only pertains to the waters around Scotland, but I'll see if I can find more. Might be worth adding... Libertyblues (talk) 17:37, 13 July 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Recent additions
I've just removed the following two paragraphs from the main body. I've done so because they contain a number of simplifications. That said, they make points that are not currently in the article, so I've tried to reword them into the text instead. Anyway, I've moved them to here in case anyone wants to discuss them further ...
- Feeding
- Most zooplankton are filter feeders, they use their appendages to strain bacteria and algae and other fine particles in the water. Others are predators which feed on smaller zooplankton. They are fed on by aquatic insects, fish and salamanders.
- Most of the Zooplankton feed on phytoplankton therefore they need to be located near the phytoplankton. Phytoplankton needs to have access to sunlight to photosynthesize, therefore they must be near the surface of the water. Zooplankton also need iron in their diet therefore making the surface of the water an ideal spot for them, at the top 100 meters of the water to be exact. Just like phytoplankton, zooplankton can't swim; they float with the currents, tides and winds instead.
[Firstly, zooplankton employ a wide range of feeding techniques, of which filter feeding is just one, and it's not clear that "most zooplankton" covers it. Secondly, aquatic insects and salamanders are not major predators of zooplankton; they probably are in certain systems, but certainly not marine ones. The mention of fish, however, is important since this is missing in the article. Thirdly, many zooplankton can swim, just not as a means for getting from points A to B; avoiding visual predators and increasing encounter rate with prey are some of the reasons they swim.]
- Breeding
- Zooplanktons can reproduce rapidly, their populations can increase by about 30 percent a day under favorable conditions. Zooplankton live short and productive lives and reach maturity quickly. Adult females of a zooplankter called Daphnia can produce their body mass in eggs every two to three days. Daphnia live an average of one month.
[These are good points, but sources for them (especially the 30%) would be good. I've tried to add a sentence to encompass this into the main body.]
Cheers, --PLUMBAGO 09:30, 26 November 2008 (UTC)
