what is a marine ecosystem

Question 1

marine ecosystem

Answer 1

a marine ecosystem consist of inputs, processes and outputs

the ocean and sea provide diverse living environment, known as habitats for various species of plants and animals. these species interact with each other and with the environment to form a marine ecosystem

Question 2

food chain

Answer 2

all marine life are linked by the food they feed on. the feeding relationship among them is known as the food chain. it starts from the smallest phytoplankton (producers) which are eaten by larger organisms (consumers) at the upper part of the food chain.

Question 3

what is the position of an organism in a food chain called

Answer 3

trophic level

Question 4

1st trophic level

Answer 4

producers

phytoplankton

tiny plants in the oceans like algae

make their own food by photosynthesis

Question 5

2nd trophic level

Answer 5

primary consumers

zooplankton

tiny animals in the oceans

feed on phytoplankton

Question 6

3rd trophic level

Answer 6

secondary consumers

small fish

feed on zooplankton

Question 7

3rd trophic level

Answer 7

secondary consumers

small fish

feed on zooplankton

Question 8

4th trophic level

Answer 8

tertiary consumers

bigger fish

feed on small fish

Question 9

what is the feeding relationship of an organism feeding on more than one kind of food called

Answer 9

food web

Question 10

what is energy flow

Answer 10

the source of energy of a marine ecosystem comes from the Sun. Energy flow begins when producers absorb solar energy from the Sun and make their food through photosynthesis

when the primary consumers feed on the producers, energy is passed from one trophic level to another. the energy flows up the food chain through the process of feeding

meanwhile, energy is lost at each trophic level, mainly as heat in the respiration of organisms and in the waste they produce. as a result, the amount of energy decreases up the food chain

Question 11

nutrient cycling

Answer 11

similar to energy flow, nutrient cycling of a marine ecosystem starts from the producers. Rainfall and river bring nutrients to the ocean, phytoplankton take up nutrients in the water and passed them from one trophic level to another along the food chain, this support the growth of different organisms

animal waste and dead organisms sink to the bottom of the ocean, the nutrients are finally released back to the oceans when the bacteria decomposes the waste and dead bodies of marine organisms and upwelling brings nutrients to the top of the ocean where most organisms live.