Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
In the open ocean, tiny organisms called phytoplankton perform photosynthesis. They are the primary producers in many marine food chains that overlap to form a food web.
1. Phytoplankton are microscopic, plant-like organisms that float in the upper layers of the ocean.
2. They are able to perform photosynthesis, which is the process of converting sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients into energy-rich organic compounds.
3. By using sunlight as an energy source, phytoplankton produce oxygen and organic matter.
4. They are considered primary producers because they convert inorganic substances (sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients) into organic matter, forming the basis of the food chain.
5. Many marine organisms, such as zooplankton, consume phytoplankton as their primary food source.
6. These zooplankton are then consumed by larger organisms, such as fish, which in turn may be eaten by even larger predators.
7. This interconnected network of feeding relationships is called a food web.
8. The food web shows the flow of energy and nutrients from the primary producers (phytoplankton) to consumers at different trophic levels.
9. Without phytoplankton as the primary producers, the food web in the open ocean would collapse, affecting the entire marine ecosystem.