Question

What is the difference between plankton, nekton and benthos?

Answer 1

The common difference between the three organisms is the area in which they specifically live or stay in the ocean. Planktons can’t be seen by the naked eye and they require microscopes to be detected. Planktons usually float in the water and they cannot move on their own that’s why they are dependent in the movement of the water.

Nektons are organisms that swim through the water and they live in different depths in the ocean ecosystem. Nektons are composed of fish and other mammals that propel themselves through the water.

Benthos are organisms that live in the ocean floor and many of these organisms stay in one place by attaching themselves to rocks. This adaptation protects them from crashing waves and drastic water movements. Other benthos are known to burrow in the ocean floor either for food or protection.