Marine Ecosystem Nutrient Dynamics

What are nutrients used for by marine organisms?

• To build molecules like proteins and DNA

• To make the water cloudy

• To help fish swim faster

• To create light in the ocean

What is detritus in a marine ecosystem?

• Living plants and animals

• Particles of nonliving organic material like dead fish and animal waste

• Rocks and sand on the ocean floor

• Clean, fresh water

Which organisms remove dissolved phosphate from the water in a marine ecosystem?

• Heterotrophs (fish and other marine animals)

• Detritus

• Autotrophs (plants, phytoplankton, seaweed)

• Bacteria

What helps lower the amount of carbon dioxide in water?

• Adding more fish

• Cleaning up dead plants and animals

• Adding more plants

• Overfeeding fish

What happens when fish are overfed?

• They grow bigger faster

• The extra food turns into detritus

• They produce less carbon dioxide

• They become healthier

What is the main difference between ammonia and nitrate in water?

• Ammonia is food for plants, nitrate is not

• Ammonia is poisonous, nitrate is not

• Nitrate is deposited by waste, ammonia is not

• Nitrate is removed by bacteria, ammonia is not

What helps change poisonous ammonia into harmless nitrate in water?

• Autotrophs

• Heterotrophs

• Bacteria

• Detritus