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Life in the ocean: it's all about finding a good lunch spot
Source: NASA
Reading
The following are key points in the ppt slides
- Importance of simple photosynthetic organisms (phytoplankton) to the food chain in the oceans.
- Importance of nutrients and sunlight to phytoplankton growth
- Fish live close to their food supply, and/or, they travel huge distances for special feeding events
- How are nutrients supplied to the photic zone?
- What happens to all of the food (organic matter, carbon) produced in the photic zone? Is it buried as sediment at the bottom of the ocean?
- Energy cycle of the ocean, composting, role of bacteria
- Why are deep waters important for phytoplankton growth?
- Good background reading for phytoplankton importance