Study Pack #10

Today’s Goals…Today’s Goals…

I can describe the characteristics of ocean organisms

I can distinguish among producers, consumers, and decomposers

Ocean LifeOcean Life

PlanktonNektonBottom Dwellers

PlanktonPlankton

Tiny organisms that float in ocean currentsExamples:

– Eggs of ocean animals– Very young fish– Larval jelly fish and crabs– Tiny adults of some organisms– Page 389

NektonNekton Animals that can actively swim Often feed on plankton Examples:

– Fish– Whales– Shrimp– Turtles– Squid– Page 390

Bottom DwellersBottom Dwellers Live on the ocean bottom Can burrow into sediments, walk or

swim on bottom, or be attached to seafloor

Examples:– Anemones– Crabs– Corals– Snails– Starfish– Some fish

Ocean EcosystemOcean Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a community of organisms and the nonliving factors that affect them– Sunlight, water, nutrients, sediments, gases

Every ecosystem has a:– Producers– Consumers– Decomposers

ProducersProducers

Base of ecosystemOrganisms that can make their own food

– Photosynthesis– Chemosynthesis

ConsumersConsumers

Organisms that eat producersDepend on producers for survivalGet energy from the producers

DecomposersDecomposers

Digest producers and consumers when they die

Example: bacteria

Food ChainsFood Chains

Energy is transferred from producers to consumers to decomposers through food chains