Marine Ecology Review

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem, showing how energy and nutrients flow through different trophic levels.

Front

What is the correct order of trophic levels in a food web?

Back

The correct order from bottom to top is: producer -> herbivore -> carnivore.

Front

What is a producer in an ecosystem?

Back

A producer is an organism, typically a plant or algae, that can make its own food through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food web.

Front

What is a primary consumer?

Back

A primary consumer is an herbivore that feeds directly on producers.

Front

What is a secondary consumer?

Back

A secondary consumer is a carnivore that eats primary consumers.

Front

What factors limit plant and algae growth in marine environments?

Back

Light and nutrients are the primary factors that limit the growth and productivity of plants and algae.

Front

What role do herbivores play in a food web?

Back

Herbivores serve as primary consumers, converting the energy from producers into a form that can be consumed by carnivores.

Front

What is the significance of zooplankton in marine ecosystems?

Back

Zooplankton, such as brine shrimp, are primary consumers that feed on phytoplankton, playing a crucial role in the marine food web.

Front

What is an apex predator?

Back

An apex predator is a top-level carnivore that has no natural predators and is at the top of the food chain.

Front

How does energy flow in an ecosystem?

Back

Energy flows through an ecosystem from producers to primary consumers, then to secondary consumers, and so on, forming a food chain.