plankton
das Plankton
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plankton
All the small organisms in bodies of water that drift passively with the current and usually have little or no ability to move under their own power. These include plant plankton and animal plankton.
Viele Meerestiere ernähren sich von Plankton.
Many marine animals feed on plankton.
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Planktons |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Plankton | – |
| accusative | das Plankton | – |
| dative | dem Plankton | – |
| genitive | des Planktons | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
When referring to an unspecified quantity, you usually use 'Plankton' (plankton) without an article. Typical quantity expressions are 'viel Plankton' (a lot of plankton) and 'wenig Plankton' (little plankton).
In diesem See gibt es im Sommer besonders viel Plankton.
There is a particularly large amount of plankton in this lake in summer.
A typical expression is 'sich von Plankton ernähren' (to feed on plankton). Here, 'sich' is part of the verb; 'von' introduces the food source.
Einige große Walarten ernähren sich hauptsächlich von Plankton.
Some large whale species feed mainly on plankton.
Use the expression 'reich an Plankton' (rich in plankton) to describe bodies of water that contain a lot of plankton. This expression is often used when discussing food sources for aquatic animals.
Das Wasser vor der Küste ist reich an Plankton und bietet vielen Fischen Nahrung.
The water off the coast is rich in plankton and provides food for many fish.
