After a few minutes, bring the net in and let it hang for a few minutes. Wash all the plankton into the bottle by running fresh water from the outside of the net. You will capture more plankton if the boat moves slowly. If a boat is not available, you can tow the net as you walk along a dock. You can also throw the net from a bridge or a pier into a fast-moving current.
Plankton are the plants and animals that drift on the ocean s currents and in lakes and rivers.
They are abundant is the surface waters where sunlight and nutrients are readily available. Phytoplankton are the microscopic plants that convert sunlight and nutrients to starch and other organic matter. In this activity, you will make a simple plankton net from wire and a nylon stocking. Bend the wire into a circle and use the electrical tape or duct tape to fasten the loose ends together. Roll the mouth of the stocking several times around the wire ring.