IMPORTANCE OF PLANKTON IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

Natural resources are greatly impacted by the fast-growing pace of human population expansion worldwide. It has an impact on the water quality, one of the characteristics of a natural resource. Therefore, we may use plankton, or water quality indicators, to assist us in determining the condition of the water. For the restoration and management of aquatic ecosystems, plankton evaluation provides important information. Zooplankton is microscopic aquatic organisms that either exclusively or partially exists as plankton. In the aquatic food chain, they offer essential food sources for aquatic creatures, particularly fish. Certain types of plankton serve as markers for pollution. Plankton populations depend on both biotic and abiotic factors for their development and dispersion, making them extremely sensitive to changes in the environment. Because of this, alterations in the variety and abundance of species as well as the structure of communities can serve as crucial markers of environmental change.