Energy in Marine Ecosystems: Marine Food ChainsCapture and Flow of EnergyThe Cycling of MatterFood ChainsSlide 5DecomposersDetritusFigure 10.11Trophic LevelsSlide 10Food WebSlide 12Figure 10.13Antarctic Ocean Food WebEcological Efficiency and Ecological PyramidsEcological PyramidSlide 17Slide 18Figure 10.14bFigure 10.14aFeeding RelationshipsSlide 22Slide 23Figure 15.02Pelagic Primary Producers Phytoplankton- DiatomsSlide 26Slide 27Pelagic Primary Consumer LarvaceanHoloplanktonHoloplankton- JellySlide 31MeroplanktonNektonPrimary ProductivityFigure 10.15Figure 10.16Global Primary ProductionCarbon CycleNitrogen CycleEnergy in Marine Ecosystems:Marine Food Chains•Begins with the primary producers •They are autotrophs (‘self’-‘feeders’) - Organism capable of making organic compounds, –Photoautotrophs, such as plants, use solar energy to help make these compounds in a process known as photosynthesis.•Primary producers are consumed by primary consumers–Primary consumers , are heterotrophs (‘other’-‘feeders’)- Organisms incapable of making organic compounds from inorganic material, they obtain their nutrition by consuming autotrophs and derive energy through respiration. •Primary consumers are consumed by secondary consumers, a.k.a. tertiary producers.•And so on…Food chains vary in length.© 2002 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Capture and Flow of EnergyThe flow of energy through living systems.© 2002 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.The Cycling of MatterThe cycling of matter through living systems.Food Chains•Food Chain- Energy and matter move from one organism to another as each eats a lower member and, in turn, is eaten by a higher memberDecomposers•Organic matter not eaten by a higher-level consumer is decomposed by decomposers–Break down non-living organic matter into its original components: carbon dioxide, water and nutrients. •When this matter dissolves in the water and is known as dissolved organic matter (DOM).•Decomposers are important to the food web because they regenerate nutrients, which are then used by the autotrophs.•Ex: Fungi, BacteriaDetritus•Dead organic matter in solid form, such as decaying seaweeds, is called detritus.–Detritus is an important energy pathway in marine ecosystems because many organisms feed on it, especially those that live below the euphotic zone.–Marine Detritivores- Worms, sea cucumbers, clamsFigure 10.11Trophic Levels•Each ‘link’ in the food chain is called a trophic level. (troph means food) –1st =Primary Producer •Ex: plants, algae–2nd = Primary Consumer•Ex: Grazer, herbivores–3rd = Secondary Consumer•Ex: Carnivores–4th = Tertiary Consumer, etc…•At each level, detrivores and decomposers are turning biomass into nutrients•Because organisms consume at various trophic levels, it is really more like a web, not a chain.Food WebFigure 10.13© 2002 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Antarctic Ocean Food WebDiatoms, and other primary producers, convert the energy from the sun into food used by the rest of the oceanic community.Ecological Efficiency and Ecological Pyramids•About 90% of biomass is lost when transferred from between trophic levels–Ecological efficiency= 10%•As trophic levels increase, biomass decreases–Why there are more squirrels than wolves in the worldEcological Pyramid2° Consumers3° Cons.1000 g Biomass100 g 10 g 1 g Primary ProducersPrimary ConsumersFigure 10.14bFigure 10.14a© 2002 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Feeding RelationshipsFigure 15.02Pelagic Primary ProducersPhytoplankton- DiatomsPelagic Primary ConsumerPelagic Primary ConsumerLarvaceanHoloplanktonHoloplankton- JellyMeroplanktonNekton© 2002 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.Primary ProductivityOceanic productivity is measured in gC/ m2/yr.Figure 10.15Figure 10.16Global Primary ProductionCarbon CycleNitrogen