What Does Phytoplankton Mean?
Phytoplankton are the photosynthetic organisms in plankton and mostly consist of single-celled algae and cyanobacteria, which is bacteria that is chemically diverse and produce oxygen through photosynthesis. These plankton are similar to land-based plant organisms in that they need sunlight and inorganic nutrients like nitrates, phosphates and sulphur, which they turn into proteins, fats and carbohydrates in order to survive, and contain chlorophyll.