Now, it’s your turn! Think of a marine organism you’d like to learn a little more about that can serve as a primary food source in your food web.
Next, identify the other participants in the food web:
Producers: These will likely be plankton, but do some research on your marine organism to be sure.
Consumers: The primary consumer will be the organism you chose as the primary food source. Identify at least TWO other consumers that would eat the organism you chose.
Decomposers: These will likely be bacteria, but do some research on your marine organism to find out what kinds of decomposers would be in its food web.
I would like to learn more about the copepod, a type of zooplankton, as the primary food source in my food web.
Producers: Phytoplankton, such as diatoms and dinoflagellates, would serve as the primary producers, providing energy through photosynthesis for the copepods.
Consumers:
1. Primary consumer: Fish larvae are one of the consumers that would feed on copepods.
2. Secondary consumer: Small fish, such as herring or anchovies, would eat copepods as part of their diet.
Decomposers: In the food web of copepods, bacteria and other microorganisms would play a role in decomposing any detritus or waste produced by copepods, helping with nutrient recycling in the ecosystem. Some specific decomposers in this case might include bacteria like Vibrio, Pseudomonas, or Bacillus.
Give me another one!
Sure! Another marine organism I would like to learn more about is the krill.
Producers: Like the copepod, krill primarily consume phytoplankton, such as diatoms and dinoflagellates, which serve as the primary producers in their food web.
Consumers:
1. Primary consumer: Many marine species, such as baleen whales and penguins, feed on krill as their primary food source.
2. Secondary consumer: Predatory fish, like salmon or herring, also consume krill as part of their diet.
Decomposers: In the food web of krill, bacteria and other microorganisms would assist in decomposing any detritus or waste produced by krill, aiding in nutrient recycling within the ecosystem. Some examples of decomposers in this context could be bacteria like Vibrio, Pseudomonas, or Moritella.