marine science

Chlorophyll

Green pigment in plants and algae that captures sunlight for photosynthesis.

Autotrophic

Able to make its own food using energy from light or chemicals.

Photosynthesis

Process where plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make food (glucose) and oxygen.

Chemosynthetic

Making food using energy from chemical reactions instead of sunlight.

Carbohydrate

A molecule made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that stores energy (like sugar or starch).

Heterotrophic

Cannot make its own food; must eat other organisms.

Consumer

An organism that eats other living things for energy.

Primary productivity

The rate at which producers (like plants or algae) create new organic material in an ecosystem.

Algal bloom

A rapid increase of algae in water, usually from extra nutrients.

Food chain

A sequence showing how energy moves from one organism to another by eating.

Community

All the living organisms in the same area that interact with each other.

Herbivore

An animal that eats only plants.

Mutualism

A relationship where both organisms benefit.

Carnivore

An animal that eats other animals.

Predation

When one organism (predator) hunts and eats another (prey).

Predator

The organism that hunts and eats another.

Parasitism

A relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.

Prey

The organism that is eaten by a predator.

Competition

When organisms fight for the same limited resources (like food or space).

Omnivore

An animal that eats both plants and animals.

Symbiosis

A close relationship between two species that live together.

Decomposers

Organisms (like fungi or bacteria) that break down dead material and return nutrients to the soil.

Commensalism

A relationship where one benefits and the other is not affected.

Food web

A network of connected food chains showing how energy flows in an ecosystem.

Ectoparasite

A parasite that lives on the outside of its host (like a flea).

Biomass

The total mass of all living material in a given area.

Endoparasite

A parasite that lives inside its host’s body (like tapeworms).

Trophic level

A step in a food chain that shows how far an organism is from the original energy source (the sun).

Phoresis

A relationship where one organism uses another for transport without harming it.

Apex predator

The top predator in a food chain; it has no natural enemies.

Photoautotroph

An organism (like a plant) that uses sunlight to make its own food.

Photic zone

The upper part of the ocean where sunlight can reach and photosynthesis can occur.

Chemoautotroph

An organism that makes food using chemical energy instead of sunlight.

Extremophile

A microorganism that lives in very harsh conditions (like hot springs or salt lakes).

Respiration

Process where organisms use oxygen to break down food and release energy.

Compensation point

The point where the rate of photosynthesis equals the rate of respiration.

Eutrophication

When too many nutrients enter water, causing excessive plant and algae growth.

Pyramid of numbers

A diagram showing the number of organisms at each trophic level.

Pyramid of biomass

A diagram showing the total mass of living material at each trophic level.

Pyramid of energy

A diagram showing how much energy passes through each trophic level.