An ecosystem is the totality of the environment encompassing all chemical, physical, geological and biological parts.
Physical Factors Affecting Marine Life
The word žtrophicÓ refers to nutrition.
As the primary producers, plants require sunlight, nutrients, water and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.
Animals must consume pre-existing organic material to survive.
Bacteria are the decomposers; they break down organic material and release nutrients for recycling.
Food chains transfer energy from one trophic level to another.
Primary production is the total amount of carbon (C) in grams converted into organic material per square meter of sea surface per year (gm C/m2/yr).
Productivity varies greatly in different parts of the ocean in response to the availability of nutrients and sunlight.
Primary productivity varies from 25 to 1250 gm C/m2/yr in the marine environment and is highest in estuaries and lowest in the open ocean.
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