What do you call the almost microscopic algae and animals that are carried by currents and waves?

The term used to describe the almost microscopic algae and animals carried by currents and waves is "plankton." This collective term encompasses both phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton are the plant-like organisms that conduct photosynthesis, while zooplankton refers to small animals or the larval stages of larger animals that feed on phytoplankton or other smaller zooplankton. By using the term "plankton," one captures all these organisms that drift in the ocean's currents, highlighting their role in the marine food web and ecosystem dynamics. Nekton, which refers to larger, swimming organisms capable of moving independently of currents, does not apply here, since it specifically excludes the drifting nature of plankton.