Phytoplankton

Okay kiddo, let's talk about phytoplankton. They are tiny, teeny, weeny plants that live in the water. They are so small that you can't even see them with your eyes!

Just like the plants on land, phytoplankton also need sunlight, nutrients, and water to grow. They use a process called photosynthesis to turn sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients into food and oxygen.

Phytoplankton are very important because they are at the bottom of the food chain in the ocean. That means that lots of other animals, like fish and whales, eat them as food. Without phytoplankton, these other animals wouldn't have anything to eat and the whole ocean ecosystem would be out of balance.

In fact, phytoplankton are so important that they produce around half of the oxygen we breathe! That's because during photosynthesis, they release oxygen into the water and air.

So even though they are teeny, weeny plants, phytoplankton play a huge role in keeping our planet healthy!