Background:
The sun is the base of all food chains. Phytoplankton use the sun to photosynthesize.
Zooplankton
Feed off of phytoplankton, so they must also have a way to stay in the photic zone.
Dinoflagellates
a type of phytoplankton, use flagella, or long tails to help stay afloat; ciliates use cilia, or hair-like extensions.
Not all plankton float in water some are benthic; that is , they are found on the bottom of the lake on rocks and sediment.
Photic zone
the depth of water in a lake or ocean that is exposed to sufficient sunlight to photosynthesize
Plankton
small organisms that float or drift in great numbers in bodies of salt or fresh water.