Chapter 11 Section 11.2 Neritic Zone

Continental shelf- shallow border that surrounds the continents

Neritic Zone Neritic zone- ocean region between the edge of the continental shelf and the low tidemark

Neritic Zone Photic zone Most productive parts in ocean

Coral Reefs Reef- natural structure built on a continental shelf Coral reefs- warm, tropical waters Kelp beds- cold waters

Importance of Coral Reefs Breeding & feeding grounds Protects the shoreline from erosion Medicinal value

Coral Reefs Made of the calcium carbonate skeletons of millions of tiny corals Zooxanthellae- coral relationship with alga; lives inside the coral tissue

Human destruction Blasted with dynamite Harvested for jewelry Collection of fish

Water Pollution Toxic chemicals Silt, sand, topsoil cloud water Corals die = bad water quality

Estuaries Region where a freshwater source, usually the mouth of a river, meets the ocean Brackish water

Estuaries Importance Buffer zones Filtering sediments & pollutants Slow the flow of water during floods

Productivity Sunlight reaches bottom High in nutrients Tides bring in fresh water