Food Chain of Organisms Along the Seashore

Organisms such as phytoplankton, algae and starfish are all members of the seashore food chain. Phytoplankton typically makes up the foundation of the food chain, since they provide nutrients to many different types of marine life. Other animals, such as mollusks and crabs, are omnivorous and will also consume members of their own species. Sea gulls are the apex organism of the seashore food chain, since they do not have any predators.

  1. Phytoplankton

    • There are many types of plankton and phytoplankton; they form the basis of the food chain for many creatures that reside in the oceans and on their nearby shores. Seashore animals, such as lobsters and crabs, consume the phytoplankton and many birds that live on or near the seashore also use phytoplankton as a food source. Animals that live in frigid environments, such as penguins, also eat phytoplankton, since these creatures exist on shores in Arctic regions of the Earth. Phytoplankton provide nutrients and energy to animals in the form of starches, sugars and oxygen.

    Mollusk

    • Mollusks are animals, such as oysters, snails and clams, that make up most of the creatures found on seashores. These creatures have hard outer shells and soft bodies, and they consume various algae and plants that are located on the seashore. Different types of creatures, such as phytoplankton and fish, are also a part of the Mollusk diet. Starfish and crabs are two kinds of seashore predators that consume different species of mollusk.

    Starfish

    • Starfish play an important role in the food web related to seashore animals. These creatures are known to consume animals, such as mollusk, clams, oysters and small fishes. One of the starfish's favorite foods is the coral polyp. These small creatures are eaten with great zeal by different species of starfish. Coral polyps also eat starfish larvae since many starfish lay their eggs in the coral reefs that they consume. Plankton and sponges are also food sources for the starfish. Predators, such as sharks, manta rays and large fish, have been known to consume starfish and, in some cases, starfish will eat members of their species.

    Crab

    • Crabs are an important part of the food web and are ecologically important to the environment of the seashore. Crabs are predators, and they're also prey to many different types of animals, such as gulls, large fish and mammals. Diets for crabs are not limited to just mollusks, worms, fungi and other protein sources, they also eat plants and vegetation. Algae is the primary diet of the crab, and they have been known to eat seaweed and other plant material that grows on the seashore.