Ocean Food Chain

Lindsay Innes and Charity Sonier

Coral ReefsCoral 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 & SpongesAlong 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 FishMany 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 FishPuffer 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.

MorayThe 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.

BarracudaThe 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.

SharksSharks 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.