Alex Smith (b) The sun is the primary source of energy for this planet, and it powers all of this planet’s processes both directly and indirectly. The largest group that is fed by the sun is the Primary Producers. These convert energy from the sun into all the usable energy of an ecosystem. This energy is either stored as food or used for biological processes. One of the most important biological processes in an ecosystem is also done by primary producers: photosynthesis. All animals produce carbon dioxide (CO2) while respiring, and primary producers, and any other producers, turn this carbon dioxide into Oxygen (O2) and usable energy through photosynthesis. During photosynthesis plants, protists, certain bacteria, and anyother organism with chlorophyll convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose (C6 H12 O6) oxygen and water by using sunlight as an energy source. In a terrestrial biome, oxygen can flow from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration, so that all areas stay fairly equally oxygenated. But in an aquatic biome, abiotic factors, like wind, water movement, etc., must work with producers to oxygenate the ecosystem. Because of this, the sun dictates the amount of oxygen produced. This explains the lower levels of oxygen concentration at night, when the sun is not shining. The same is true, to a lesser degree, on a heavily overcast day. Because of the decreased amount of sunlight available to the primary producers, they perform photosynthesis at a decreased rate. The less photosynthesis that takes place, the less oxygen will be added into the ecosystem, and hence, the cause of the drop in oxygen concentrations predicted for a cloudy day. (c) In aquatic biomes, the amount of nutrients imported into the system can quickly and deeply impact the ecosystem, more so than in other biomes. Surplus phosphates and nitrates in an aquatic ecosystem would rapidly increase the phytoplankton populations in what is called a Plankton Bloom. This...