Marine Ecosystems

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Marine Ecosystems

• Biology

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The Divisions of the Ocean

• The ocean can separate the shore, littoral zone,
  from the open, or pelagic zone, from the ocean
  floor, benthic zone.
• The presence, photic zone, or absence, aphotic
  zone, of light also differentiates between areas
  of the ocean.

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• The ocean is also separated into zones based on
  its distance from the shoreline and water depths.
• Intertidal zone strip of land between the high
  and low tide lines
• Neritic zone from the intertidal zone out to
  the edge of the continental shelf.
• Bathyal zone from the edge of the neritic zone
  to the base of the continental shelf.
• Abyssal zone lies below 2000 meters and is in
  incomplete darkness.

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Intertidal
Neritic
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Life in the Neritic Zone

• Most of the biomass in this zone in plankton,
  tiny free floating organisms that live in the
  water.
• Zooplankton is another terms for animal plankton
  and phytoplankton are photosynthetic plankton.

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Coastal Waters

• Coral reefs are found in tropical climate zones.
• Corals are animals that have a mutualistic
  relationship with algae.
• Corals are very delicate and are in decline
  around the world.
• In contrast to corals, kelp forests live in cold
  waters and consist of kelp, or seaweed.

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• The point where a river flows into an ocean is
  called an estuary.
• The distinctive feature of an estuary is the
  mixture of fresh and salt water.
• This area is nutrient rich and are very
  productive environments. They also provide
  habitats for a number of endangered and
  threatened species.

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• A watershed is the region of land that drains
  into a river or another body of water.
• Its important to know that water can be standing
  (wetland, swamps and lakes) or moving (rivers,
  streams, oceans).