Zones of the Ocean We divide it up to study more specific areas and the relevant issues.

Zones by light Euphotic or photic can be as deep as 200m if water is clear. Dysphotic is not enough light to do photosynthesis.

Littoral zone with animals: note the genus names

Questions? What is the name for spray zone where high tide spashes up and gives it salt water? What is another name for the littoral zone? What zone would a starfish be found? Why can’t a sponge do well in the littoral zone? When would an organism at the “top” of the littoral zone be under water?

Answers Supralittoral zone; above littoral Intertidal Top of the sublittoral Can never be exposed to the air even when tides are really low. When there is a spring tide: bigger tide due to sun/moon lining up.

Biomass/light/temp with depth Study and answer questions on next page

Questions Is the water above the continental shelf included in the epipelagic zone? Is the biomass/productivity greater at the top of bottom of the epipelagic zone? Without looking, what temperature was the thermocline for this picture? Is the mesopelagic zone: dysphotic, aphotic or euphotic in nature? Put these five zones in order from deepest to the surface: bathypelagic, epipelagic, hadalpelagic, abyssopelagic, mesopelagic

Answers Yes Bottom, as the nutrients are more plentiful below the surface and light is still available m Generally dysphotic hadalpelagic, abyssopelagic, bathypelagic, mesopelagic, epipelagic,

Beach sections

Questions Which beach zone would include the littoral zone? Is the berm in the littoral or supralittoral zone? What two “shores” are separated by the berm?

Swash zone Supralittoral zone Foreshore/backshore