Unit 3: Marine Ecosystems

A complex network of feeding relationships among marine organisms.

What is a marine food web?

Producers like phytoplankton convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

What role do producers play in a marine food web?

Primary consumers, such as zooplankton, feed on producers.

What are primary consumers in a marine food web?

Secondary consumers, like small fish, eat primary consumers.

Who are secondary consumers in a marine food web?

Top predators such as large fish or marine mammals that feed on secondary consumers.

What are tertiary consumers?

A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another.

What is parasitism?

Fish parasites that live on or inside their host.

What is an example of parasitism in the ocean?

A relationship where one organism benefits while the other is unaffected.

What is commensalism?

Barnacles attaching to whales.

What is an example of commensalism?

A relationship where both organisms benefit.

What is mutualism?

Clownfish living in sea anemones.

What is an example of mutualism in the ocean?

The total mass of living organisms in a specific area.

What is biomass in an ecosystem?

The rate at which producers generate organic material through photosynthesis.

What is primary productivity?

It indicates the energy available to support marine food webs.

Why is primary productivity important?

They are essential for the growth and survival of marine organisms.

Why are nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus important in marine ecosystems?

The movement and exchange of nutrients through processes like decomposition and uptake by organisms.

What is nutrient cycling?

Through overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction.

How do humans impact marine ecosystems?

To protect biodiversity and maintain balance in marine environments.

Why are sustainable practices important in marine ecosystems?