Pollution Prevention
Queensland
Food Chains Under Threat
Algae
Angelfish
Tiger Shark
Once the pollution enters the ecosystem, there is an overload of nutrients in the water and the nutrient cycle. This then leads to the rapid increase in the population density of the algae. This then results in the algae out competing other species such as sea grasses and phytoplankton and zooplanktons. This means the angelfish have a much less diverse food source as the biodiversity is limited. In addition to this, the algae live in areas where there are lots of nutrients and sediments. However, when the angelfish try and reach these areas, the PH levels, excess of nutrients and other factors make the angelfish either swim away or even die. This means that the angel fish have limited food sources limiting their population which limits the food sources for the tiger shark. Thus the pollution has a ripple or carry over effect on the organisms in the food web.
Phytoplankton
Coral
Crown of Thorn Starfish
Trigger Fish
Tiger Shark
The effects of phytoplankton blooms can be further intensified by natural catastrophes. When there are high percentage of nitrogen and phosphorus lajes, some plant plankton reproduce rapidly. This is an indication of poor water quality that could affect other organisms living there as well. In addition to being health indicators, planktons are eaten by small fishes and some other animals including corals. The larger fish then eat the smaller fish- which is if you put it into this food chain, the Star of Thorn Starfish eats the Corals which eats the Phytoplankton. Thus, the plankton are essential to the aquatic community, both as indicators of water quality and the best food source for fishes.
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Phytoplankton
Coral
Parrotfish
Tiger Shark
This food chain is similar to the prior. The phytoplankton is the indicator and the largest food source to small fishes and other animals. When there are high percentages of phosphorus and nitrogen in the lakes, some plant plankton reproduce rapidly. This is an indication of poor water quality that could in turn affect other organisms living there as well, which in one word is eutrophication. In this food chain, when phytoplankton reproduces really fast, the population of corals increases really fast which causes the other species in this food chain to increase, but that might cause an unbalance to the other species in the same food web.
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