adjective
- relating to or consisting of plankton; living or drifting in open water rather than on the sea floor or attached to surfaces
Usage: biology, marine science
Examples
- Planktonic organisms form the base of many marine food chains.
- The ocean's planktonic communities are sensitive to temperature changes.
- Jellyfish are planktonic animals that drift with ocean currents.
- Phytoplankton are planktonic photosynthetic organisms.
- Scientists study planktonic larvae to understand fish population dynamics.