Ocean Zones

Neritic Zone The Neritic Zone includes: Supratidal Zone Intertidal Zone Subtidal Zone

Neritic Zone Supratidal zone: Harsh conditions Dry, only stenohaline (organisms that need low salinity) organisms can live here Air temperature determines zone temperature (not water) Water splashes from waves or wind sprays One organism adaptation is to burrow Above the high tide line Salt grass, snakes, mice, ghost crabs

Neritic Zone Intertidal Zone: Area of great change Waves spill over/breakers Area of great adaptations for living with or without water Tidal patterns determine temperature Euphotic (light can go through the water) Sessile (attached) benthic (bottom) organisms Burrowing organisms Adaptations to prevent drying out-close up/burrow Adaptations to cling to rocks Between the low tide line and the high tide line Green algae, barnacles, tube worms

Neritic Zone Subtidal Zone: Always covered with water Complete waves High productivity (lots of biomass produced) Lots of nutrients Euphotic ( light goes through water) Warm Sessile (attached) and vagrant (move) benthic (bottom) organisms Nektonic (free swimming) and planktonic (drifters) organisms Lots of oil drilling here Between the low tide line and the edge of the continental shelf Sailfish, dolphins, sea turtles, kelp

Oceanic Zone Ocean Zone includes 4 smaller zones These zones are determined by availability of light Epipelagic Zone (The sunlight zone) Mesopelagic Zone (The twilight zone) Bathypelagic Zone (The midnight zone) Abyssopelagic Zone (The Abyss zone)

Oceanic Zone Epiupelagic Zone (The sunlight zone) Euphotic Warm Fewer nutrients Nektonic (free swimming) and planktonic (drifters) organisms Complete waves Extends from the continental shelf Detritus (organic material) falls below like snow Lower productivity (production of biomass) Sharks, whales, Sargassum seaweed

Oceanic Zone Mesopelagic Zone (The twilight zone) Fading light/twilight/disphotic Temperature drops rapidly/permanent thermocline Pressure increases Nektonic and zooplankton Less photosynthesis/ respiration continues Detritus (organic material)/marine snow Low productivity (production of biomass) Zooplankton, squid

Oceanic Zone Bathypelagic Zone (The midnight zone) Completely dark/aphotic Isothermal (same temperature throughout)/cold Pressure great Organisms adapted to pressure and no light Nektonic Detritus (organic material)/marine snow Low productivity (production of biomass) Angler fish

Oceanic Zone Ayssopelagic Zone (The abyss zone) Completely dark/aphotic Isothermal (same temperature throughout)/cold Pressure greatest Geothermal vents providing for chemosythetic production of biomass Higher productivity (production of biomass) Marine debris (snow) accumulates Special adaptations of organisms Vagrant (move) benthic, nektonic,bacteria Giant tube worms, blind crabs, chemosynthetic bacteria