Ocean Habitats

How do scientists classify marine organisms into groups?

The three categories of ocean organisms are (choose more than one answer)

• plankton

• nekton

• benthos

• kelp

________ are tiny algae animals that float in the water and are carried by waves and currents.

Free swimming animals that can move throughout the water column.

• plankton

• nekton

• benthos

List two organisms that are in the nekton category

_______ are organisms that inhabit the ocean floor.

Some benthos organisms can move from place to place, while others only stay in one location.

• True

• False

Photosynthetic plankton are called __________, because they create their own food.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Other kinds of plankton as well as all nekton, eat either algae or other organisms. This classifies them as _____________.

• producers

• consumers

• decomposers

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Many benthos break down wastes and the remains of other organisms, they are called ____________.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3