i-Phytoplankton Template:IPAc-en yingqokolela yee-[[autotrophic] zohlobo lwee-plankton ikwayintsika esisizinda seelwandle, nesamanzi ahlaziyekileyo ngokwee-ecosystems. Eli gama livela kumagama esiGrike athi φυτόν (i-phyton), nelintsingiselo yalo ithetha ""isityalo"", kwane πλαγκτός (i-planktos), intsingiselo yalo ithetha ""isibhaduli"" okanye ""umkhenkethi"". Inkoliso yee-phytoplankton zincinane kakhulu ukuba zingabonwa ngamehlo engancediswa nto. Nangona kunjalo, xa zininzi kakhulu, ezinye iintlobo zazo zingabonakala ngokungathi ngamachaphaza ammabala-bala apha ngaphezulu emanzini ngenxa yobukho be-chlorophyll phakathi kwee-cell zazo nobukho bemibala efunekayo (efana nee-phycobiliproteins okanye ii-xanthophysll) kwezinye iintlobo zezidalwa eziphilayo.