A beautifully illustrated guide, this book unveils the astounding diversity of plankton globally, how they are affiliated with a variety of living groups, and how they have adapted to live in a wide range of environments.
Passive drifters in oceans and freshwaters, most of them are tiny or invisible, but some can exceed the length of a whale. They make up the foundation of food chains and support not only all marine life, but are also vital to land-based plants, organisms and animals.
Learn about their life cycles, how they feed and grow, the many ways they use to reproduce, and where, how and why plankton drift through the water.
The authors present perspectives on migrations, why population explosions called “blooms” occur, and how global warming, pollution, diminishing resources and overexploitation impact planktonic life.
