food chain

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Diatoms and other phytoplankton form the foundations of ocean food chains. Shrimplike krill consume the phytoplankton, and small fishes eat the krill. At the top of the food chain, dining on these smaller fishes, are larger, predatory fishes.

terrestrial food chain

What role do spiders play in the food chain?

Algae, primarily diatoms, dinoflagellates, and coccolithophorids, which are often collectively called phytoplankton, are the base of the food chain for all marine organisms.

How an ecosystem works

Take an in-depth look at the variety of plankton, from diatoms and microflagellates to jellyfish

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food chain: Related Content

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Photos and Videos

Diatoms and other phytoplankton form the foundations of ocean food chains. Shrimplike krill consume the phytoplankton, and small fishes eat the krill. At the top of the food chain, dining on these smaller fishes, are larger, predatory fishes.

terrestrial food chain

Algae, primarily diatoms, dinoflagellates, and coccolithophorids, which are often collectively called phytoplankton, are the base of the food chain for all marine organisms.

What role do spiders play in the food chain?

How an ecosystem works

Take an in-depth look at the variety of plankton, from diatoms and microflagellates to jellyfish

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Topics

trophic level food web nutrient cycle grazing food chain water cycle nitrogen cycle phosphorus cycle carbon cycle oxygen cycle sulfur cycle biodiversity ecological succession keystone species guild ecotone biome niche indicator species

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Key People

Charles Elton

English biologist

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