Down at the Bay Question #2

How can the removal of biotic elements drastically affect the ecosystem's abiotic conditions? (Choose 1 specific factor)

The abiotic condition of water would be affected if benthos (organisms that live on the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay) such as filter feeders like oysters and clams that feed on organic matter and plankton were to be removed from the ecosystem. Since there's no one to link the autotrophs to the higher levels of the food web, the water quality would change. The plankton would thrive and something like an algal bloom might occur. The organisms living in the Bay's water, especially the carnivores, would decline and so would the whole community. The whole balance of the ecosystem would change. 



 Citation: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/bayecosystem/bottom