Plankton

Get an up-close look at some of the smallest—and most vital—residents of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Learn five ways plankton benefit people and the environment. (Nature Video)

Plankton are free-floating, mostly microscopic plants, animals and bacteria. They generally cannot swim; instead, plankton are transported by tides and currents. The name plankton, like the word planet, comes from a Greek term meaning "wanderer."