what are phytoplankton and why are they important to the eco system
Phytoplanktons are single celled plants that form the grasses of the sea. These plants use the solar energy to assimilate carbon and synthesise organic compounds through photosynthesis. They are important to our ecosystem as they nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean's food chain. Incidentally, due to global warming the ozone layer will deplete and harmful rays will reach earth. Also, the depletion of the ozone layer will adversely affect the activities of the phytoplanktons. In turn, the marine animals and birds of the region will be affected and the entire global carbon cycle will collapse. The author considers these phytoplanktons as a metaphor for existence. She believes that if we take care of small things like the phytoplanktons, big dangers lurking over our ecosystem can be averted.