Q1/3 W8 Photosynthetic vs Chemosynthetic Organisms

Krill (Euphausia superba)

• Consumer

• Eats phytoplankton and feeds fish, whales, and penguins

• Fun Fact: A single krill can consume up to half its body weight in a day.

Phytoplankton (Thalassiosira pseudonana)

• Primary Producer

• Makes its own energy using sunlight and provides energy for other animals in the ocean that eat them

• Fun Fact: Phytoplankton produce about half of Earth’s oxygen!

Mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

• Consumer

• Eats smaller animals like plankton or small fish to get energy

• Fun Fact: Mackerel can swim in large schools to protect themselves from predators and find food more easily.

Seaweed (Macrocystis pyrifera)

• Primary Producer

• Uses energy from the sun to make its own food and provides food and habitat for marine animals

• Fun Fact: Giant kelp (a type of seaweed) can grow up to 60 meters (200 feet) in a single year.

Chemosynthetic bacteria (Sulfurimonas autotrophica)

• Primary Producer

• Converts chemicals like hydrogen sulfide into energy, forming the base of the vent ecosystem

• Fun Fact: These bacteria survive without sunlight entirely, using chemical energy instead.

Vent Shrimp (Rimicaris exoculata)

• Consumer
• Feeds on bacteria and small particles from the vent environment, providing energy for other animals that eat them
• Fun Fact: Lives in dense swarms, sometimes thousands per square meter near vents.

Vent Crabs (Bythograea thermydron)

• Consumer
• Feeds on chemosynthetic bacteria and other small vent animals, getting energy from the deep-sea vent ecosystem
• Fun Fact: Vent crabs can tolerate extreme temperatures and pressures and are often found near hydrothermal vents where few other animals can survive.

Tube worms (Riftia pachyptila)

• Consumer
• Host chemosynthetic bacteria in their bodies to get nutrients
• Fun Fact: Tube worms have no mouth or digestive system; they rely entirely on bacteria for food.