Ecosystems in the Ocean

Is a grain farm on land more like a wild terrestrial or oceanic ecosystem? (Hint -- why do we fertilize a farm when we don’t need to fertilize a forest?)

• What is an ecosystem?

• How is the land different from the ocean?

•This changes EVERYTHING!

• Differences between land and sea

• Tall trees

• Small plankton

• How this changes ecosystem! Big plants mean big herbivores.

• Small plants mean small predators and many links in the food chain!

• Land:• Grass => Antelope => Lion• Grass => Bunny => Fox

• Ocean:• Small Phyto’s => small Zoo’s => to bigger Zoo’s =>And: Big Phyto’s => Big Zoo’s => small fish (anchovies) => bigger fish (blues) => biggest fish (tuna)

• Every step in chain, 90% of energy lost!

• Where do we eat on food chain?

• What controls Primary Production & Biomass?

• Land has 50x biomass of ocean, but same Primary Production.

• Why different?

• Cycling time on land vrs. sea

• Next parts of biology section:

1. Who are the players?

2. How do food chains work?

3. How is PP and biology controlled by physics?