Zooplankton Behaviour

Zooplankton are microscopic aquatic organisms that are an essential component of the aquatic food web, playing a key role in the transfer of energy from primary producers to higher trophic levels. Zooplankton behaviours, such as swimming, searching for food and avoiding predators, are especially important in determining the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Understanding the behaviour of zooplankton is thus important in order to assess their impact on ecosystem processes and their susceptibility to environmental change. Zooplankton behaviours are also crucial for the development of models that help predict future changes in aquatic ecosystems.