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Article: Plankton
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- Water:Science and Issues
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Plankton
Awareness is growing regarding the importance of the oceans and the variety of life they support. Research in many branches of oceanography is discovering the vast unknown of the marine world, and has expanded interest in the understanding of the marine environment and the role each member plays in a complex community.
The free-floating organisms known as plankton, from the Greek "wandering," are the drifters of the ocean. Although most of these organisms are motile (moving), they cannot swim or move against currents, but they can move vertically in the water column.
Many marine plankton are found in the deep waters of the outer ocean, or pelagic waters, whereas others are found ...