What are producers in Lake Ontario?

* Phytoplankton: microscopic plants that drift in the water column and use sunlight for photosynthesis.

* Zooplankton: tiny animals that drift in the water column and feed on phytoplankton and other zooplankton.

Benthos

* Macroinvertebrates: animals without backbones that are visible to the naked eye, such as insects, worms, and mollusks.

* Periphyton: algae and other microorganisms that live attached to rocks, plants, and other surfaces.

Fish

* Forage fish: small fish that feed on zooplankton and other small organisms, such as alewife, smelt, and rainbow smelt.

* Piscivores: fish that feed on other fish, such as lake trout, smallmouth bass, and northern pike.

Birds

* Waterfowl: birds that spend most of their time in or on the water, such as ducks, geese, and swans.

* Shorebirds: birds that live on the shores of lakes and rivers, such as sandpipers, plovers, and gulls.

Mammals

* Aquatic mammals: mammals that live in the water, such as seals, whales, and dolphins.

* Semi-aquatic mammals: mammals that spend part of their time in the water and part of their time on land, such as muskrats and beavers.