Download Strand No. 3 – Outcome No. 3

Ocean Food Chain
Lindsay Innes and Charity Sonier
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are underwater structures made of
Calcium Carbonate secreted by corals. Individual
Polyps group together and grow, secreting this
hard exoskeleton, which eventually builds up and
creates a Coral reef. The complex structure of
coral reefs offer fish numerous shelters, refuges
and microhabitats
These are the result of millions of years of
coevolution among algae, invertebrates and fish.
They have become crowded and complex
environments, and the fish have evolved many
ways of surviving
Phytoplankton & Zooplankton
Phytoplankton obtain energy through photosynthesis meaning
they’re autotrophs, while Zooplankton are heterothrophs, who
use organic compounds as a source of carbon. These are the
bottom of the food chain.
Bacterioplankton & Sponges
Along with Phytoplankton and Zooplankton, Bacterioplankton and
Sponges are also at the bottom of the food chain. Both Sponges and
Bacterioplankton can be found in both fresh water and salt. Sponges
are sessile aquatic creatures, and do not have circulatory, nervous or
digestive systems.
Coral Fish
Many reef fish have a body flattened like a
pancake, with pectoral and pelvic fins that act
with the flattened body to maximize
manoeuvrability. Many reef fish species have
evolved different feeding strategies accompanied
by specialized mouths, jaws and teeth
particularly suited to deal with their food
sources found in coral reef ecosystems. This is
not surprising, given the huge variety in the
types of prey on offer around coral reefs
Puffer Fish
Puffer fish are generally believed to be the
second–most poisonous vertebrate in the world,
after the Golden Poison Frog, which is the main
reason why it is so high on the Food Scale. The
puffer's unique and distinctive defenses help
make up for their slow moving bodies. They are
carnivorous, therefore they eat crabs, clams,
snails, oysters, crayfish, and shrimp.
Squid
Squid have eight arms, and two usually longer
tentacles. They are Heterotrophs, and hunt for
their food. They eat shrimp, cod, herring,
plankton and some species of giant squid will eat
small whales if they can manage it.
Moray
The Moray is a type of Eel, in which there are
more than 200 different species. They are pretty
much on the same trophic level as Squid, and
have a very similar diet. They are found in both
tropical and temperate seas, but mainly in warm,
tropical ones.
Barracuda
The Barracuda is a fish known for its large size
and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly
small, and covered with little, smooth scales. The
barracuda is a salt water fish and is found in
tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. This
predatory fish is also on the same trophic level
as Squid, and Eels.
Sharks
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous
skeleton and a highly streamlined body, made
for short-term speed. These fish are at the top of
the food chain, in both open water and coral
reefs. They are carnivorous, and eat many types
of small to medium sized fish. There are as much
at 440 different species of Sharks, and certain
types are more prominent in Coral Reefs than
others.