QUESTION

GS

Medium

Environment & Ecology

Prelims 2021

Consider the following kinds of organisms:

  1. Copepods
  2. Cyanobacteria
  3. Diatoms
  4. Foraminifera

Which of the above are primary producers in the food chains of oceans?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Copepods are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat; they are zooplankton that function as consumers (secondary producers) rather than primary producers. Statement 2 is Correct: Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic bacteria that obtain energy through photosynthesis and are significant primary producers in marine environments. Statement 3 is Correct: Diatoms are a major group of microalgae (phytoplankton) found in the oceans and are among the most important primary producers in the marine food chain. Statement 4 is Incorrect: Foraminifera are single-celled amoeboid protists that primarily function as consumers (zooplankton) by catching food with their ectoplasm.

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