Zooplankton and Lakes

A major component of the food webs in lakes is the small invertebrates, known as zooplankton, that live suspended in the water column. Zooplankton feed on algae and are, themselves, food for many fish species. Laboratory identifications and counts provide the data needed to determine the composition of the zooplankton community and the numbers of organisms present—important information for those researching lake food webs and general lake function.