Greenwich Bay

Plankton (which comes from the Greek word for drifting) are organisms that float at or near thesurface of the water and are unable to swim strongly enough to go against tides, winds, or currents. Plant plankton are called phytoplankton. They are extremely important to life in Greenwich Bay, as they form the base of the food web. Animal plankton are called zooplankton.

Algae are relatively simple plants that live in freshwater or saltwater environments. In the marine environment, they are often called seaweeds. They contain cholorophyll, which they use to make their own food through photosynthesis. However, they differ from many other plants by their lack of vascular tissues (roots, stems, and leaves). Many familiar algae fall into three major divisions: Chlorophyta (green algae), Rhodophyta (red algae), and Phaeophyta (brown algae).

Macroalgae are plants that can be seen without the use of a microscope. In Greenwich Bay, three very common macroalgae are part of a research project to determine the effects of nutrients in the bay:

Ulva lactuca Gracilaria
Enteromorpha

Plants

Ulva lactuca Gracilaria Enteromorpha

Ulva lactuca Gracilaria
Enteromorpha