What do jellyfish, lobsters, krill, and even swordfish have in common? At some point in their lives, they’re all zooplankton. These are the drifting animals that we’re spotlighting on the final #MicroMonday of 2025.
Often microscopic but astonishingly diverse, zooplankton are the backbone of marine food webs.
Scientists at Bigelow Laboratory are working to develop new models and tools that help us better understand zooplankton and their importance to ocean health.
From tracking just how much carbon they actively transport during daily vertical migrations, to predicting whale movements based on where their prey is concentrated, researchers are working to unlock the big mysteries of these tiny animals.
📸: David Fields, Zachary Wagner, John Burns, Amy Maas.
