• Producer

• Microscopic, plant-like organisms that float in the water and are the base of the aquatic food web

• They contain chlorophyll, a pigment that allows them to capture sunlight and use it to convert carbon dioxide into energy, similar to plants on land

• Producer

• Microscopic, unicellular organisms that have a cell wall made of silicon dioxide

• Diatoms have a cell wall made of silicon dioxide, also known as silica. This cell wall is called a frustule and is made of two parts, or valves, that fit together like a pill box. 

• Producer

• Microscopic organisms that are photosynthetic and technically classified as bacteria

  
  

• Producer

• Mode of nutrition that combines autotrophic and heterotrophic processes in a single organism

Primary Consumer- Zooplankton, shrimp, sea slugs, clams, sea urchins, sea turtles, parrot fish, sea stars

Secondary Consumer- Cod, jellyfish, lobster, crayfish, herring, tuna, crabs, and squid

Tertiary Consumer- Macro shark, orca, blue whale, sword fish, marlin, barracuda, dolphin, and narwhal

• Secondary consumer

• Small to medium-sized fish with silvery sides and blue-green backs

• Herring are an important part of the food web in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

• Secondary consumer

• Fish with torpedo-shaped bodies, smooth skin, and streamlined fins

• Tuna are top predators that feed on fish, crustaceans, and squid

• Tuna are prey for sharks, rays, larger tunas, and billfish

• Secondary consumer

• Arthropods with flat, round bodies, hard shells, and 10 legs

• Crabs can be found in oceans, fresh water, and on land. 

  
  

• Secondary Consumer

• Invertebrates with long, slender bodies, large eyes, and tentacles. They are part of the cephalopod group of mollusks, which also includes octopuses and cuttlefish.

• Squid use their tentacles to grab prey, then use their sharp beak to tear it into smaller pieces. 

• Primary Consumer

• Small crustaceans with long legs, a hard shell, and a flexible abdomen

• Shrimp are primary consumers that feed on photosynthetic organisms.

• They eat producers, like algae and seaweed

• Primary consumer

• Soft-bodied marine mollusks that are colorful and come in many shapes and sizes

• Sea slugs can be herbivores or carnivores, and eat a variety of foods including algae, sponges, anemones, and other sea slugs. 

• Primary consumer

• Shellfish with two hinged shells that filter food from water

• Clams live in both freshwater and marine environments

• Clams are filter feeders that trap plankton, algae, and other small particles from the water

• Primary Consumer

• Spiny, round, and globular marine invertebrates that live in the ocean

• Sea urchins primarily eat algae, but they also eat slow-moving or sessile animals

• Primary consumer

• Marine reptiles with streamlined bodies, large flippers, and hard shells

• Primary consumer

• Tropical fish with vibrant colors and beak-like plates in their mouths

• They live in coral reefs around the world and are herbivores that eat algae and coral

• Primary Consumer

• Marine invertebrates that are not fish

• They have tube feet on the underside of their bodies that help them move and grip prey. 

• Tertiary Consumer

• A sleek spindle shaped shark with a long conical snout.

• Prey on fast moving pelagic fishes such as tunas and swordfish 

• Also consume squid, other sharks, and rarely marine turtles and mammals 

• Are often seen breaching the water surface when feeding

• Tertiary consumer

• Long, muscular fish with sharp teeth and torpedo-shaped bodies

• Barracudas are carnivores that eat other fish, plankton, and invertebrates.

• They are often found near coral reefs, seagrasses, and mangroves

• Tertiary consumer

• Eat squid, tuna, mackerel, dolphin, and flying fish

• Can take prey as large as white marlin, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna

• Highly migratory and follow warm ocean currents for hundreds or thousands of miles

• Tertiary consumer

• Large, predatory fish with a torpedo-shaped body, sharp teeth, and distinctive eyes

• Walleyes are nocturnal, preferring to stay in deep water during the day and move to shallow waters at night. 

• Walleye are carnivorous and feed on a variety of fish, crayfish, leeches, mollusks, worms, and insects. 

• Walleye spawn in early spring over gravel or rocks in rivers or shallows. 

• Tertiary consumer

• Fast-swimming fish with streamlined bodies and distinctive markings.

• Mackerel eat plankton, small fish, and sometimes their own young.

• Mackerel are an important food source for marine predators such as whales, dolphins, tuna, seals, and sharks.

• Tertiary consumer

• A type of black bass with a laterally compressed body, olive-brown color, and a smaller mouth than largemouth bass.

• Smallmouth bass are apex predators that eat insects, crayfish, amphibians, and other fish

• Tertiary consumer

• Marine mammals with torpedo-shaped bodies, smooth skin, and flippers

• Dolphins use echolocation to hunt prey such as fish, squid, and crustaceans

• Tertiary Consumer

• Pinnipeds, which are semi-aquatic marine mammals with flippers and ear flaps

• Sea lions are adaptive hunters that may develop unique strategies depending on where they live

• Decomposer

• A group of invertebrates with segmented bodies, hard exoskeletons, and jointed appendages

• They are an important prey source for marine animals like whales, fish, and pinnipeds

• Decomposer

• Invertebrates that live in the ocean, seas, and estuaries. They are soft-bodied, segmented worms with a head and tail. They have a digestive, circulatory, and nervous system.

• Marine worms can be herbivores, carnivores, parasites, detritivores, or filter feeders.

• Decomposer

• Soft-bodied invertebrates with a muscular foot or tentacles for movement

• Mollusks can be found in oceans, freshwater bodies, and on land. 

• Some mollusks live in shallow water, while others prefer deep water. 

• Mollusks provide habitat and protection for other organisms

• Decomposer

• Soft-bodied, cylindrical invertebrates that are part of the echinoderm phylum.

• Sea cucumbers are scavengers that eat small particles of algae and marine animals

• Sea cucumbers eat debris and sediment, which helps keep the ocean healthy and balanced

• Decomposer

• Eel-like marine creatures with slimy skin, no jaws, and a cartilaginous skeleton

• Scavengers that eat carrion and small invertebrates 

• Hagfish help recycle nutrients and carbon in the deep ocean.

• Decomposer

• Eukaryotic organisms that are heterotrophic, non-vascular, and spore-forming

• They are essential to ecosystems because they break down dead and decaying matter, recycling nutrients back into the environment. 

  
  

• Decomposer

• Invertebrates with soft, cylindrical bodies that are topped by a ring of tentacles around a mouth

• Sea anemones contribute to the health and resilience of coral reefs.

• They play a significant role in nitrogen cycling within the reef ecosystem.

• Decomposer

• Single-celled microorganisms that are found all over the world. They are vital to the planet's ecosystems

• Bacteria are the primary decomposers in the ocean, breaking down organic matter from dead plants and animals, releasing nutrients back into the water column for other organisms to use

• Bacteria play a crucial role in the cycling of essential elements like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, ensuring their availability for other marine life.