Ecology
Phytoplankton
Microscopic photosynthetic organisms that drift in water bodies. The foundation of most aquatic food webs and responsible for roughly half of global oxygen production.
Biological Context
Phytoplankton include diatoms, cyanobacteria, and dinoflagellates. They're limited by nutrient availability (especially nitrogen and iron) and light penetration. Phytoplankton blooms can be massive, visible from space. Climate change is affecting phytoplankton distribution and productivity.
Business Application
Phytoplankton-like businesses: small, numerous entities that form the base of an economic ecosystem. They capture primary resources and support larger organisms up the chain.