2.2 Water as a function of organic:
Plankton is the generic term used to describe all the living organisms (plant and
animal) present in a water body. Plankton may be subdivided further into algal plant
organisms (phytoplankton), animal organisms (zooplankton), bacteria
(bacterioplankton), and lower plant forms such as algal fungi.
Phytoplankton are small single-celled plants smaller than the size of a pinhead. All
phytoplankton in water bodies contain the photosynthetically active pigment
chlorophyll a.
Chlorphyll a is a reasonable surrogate for the organic component of optically
complex natural waters.