Phytoplankton: The Superheroes of the Ocean

Did you know that phytoplankton–microscopic organisms that live on and just below the surface of the ocean, rivers, lakes and ponds–produce much of the oxygen we breathe? What about all the trees and plants that give off oxygen on land, you may argue. Indeed, land plants do give off the much-needed gas for us to survive, but our water bodies–especially the vast ocean that occupies 71% of our planet’s surface–are also responsible for providing life- supporting oxygen. This oxygen comes from the photosynthesis carried out by phytoplankton.