Zooplankton
Small animals and animal-like organisms that drift in water bodies. Primary consumers that link phytoplankton to larger organisms in aquatic food webs.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 2 chapters:
"...d the water turns cobalt, deep-bodied Astatotilapia cruise slowly, conserving oxygen, their large eyes adapted to gather scarce photons while hunting zooplankton in the gloom. These species coexist in the same lake but live in functionally separate worlds defined by depth."
"...that disperse seeds; temperate forests contain multiple earthworm species that process leaf litter and enhance soil structure; lakes contain numerous zooplankton species that graze on phytoplankton, controlling algal populations. This ecological redundancy provides several benefits: Stability: Ecosystems..."
Biological Context
Zooplankton include copepods, krill, and larval stages of many fish and invertebrates. They graze on phytoplankton and are eaten by fish, whales, and other predators. Many zooplankton migrate vertically daily—rising to feed at night, sinking during day to avoid predators.
Business Application
Zooplankton-like businesses: small consumers that aggregate resources from numerous tiny producers and make them available to larger players. Aggregators, distributors, and middlemen fill this niche.