Marine Biology

Introduction

All ecosystems must have a source of energy (usually the sun) because all organism functions such as growth and reproduction require energy. Energy moves through the ecosystem by a series of events that link organisms together.

Plants have green pigments, called chlorophyll which captures energy from the sun (solar energy) to split carbon dioxide atoms and then combine the carbon atoms with oxygen and hydrogen (photosynthesis) to make sugars (food). Solar energy is transformed into chemical energy stored in the bonds that hold the atoms of the sugar molecules. Oxygen also is released. Plants are essential to all ecosystems because they produce oxygen and food needed by all other living things.