1. Life in the ocean

2. Plankton= organisms that float or drift near the surface
Examples: can be plant-like (phytoplankton) or animal-like (zooplankton)
Plankton are microscopic (very small)

3. Nekton= organisms that swim in the open ocean
Examples: whales, dolphins, sharks, sea lions, many types of fish

4. Benthos= organisms that live on or in the ocean floor
Examples: crabs, starfish, worms, coral, sponges, seaweed and clams

5. 2 Main Environments of the Ocean
Benthic= the region near the ocean floor and all the organisms that live on or in it (the bottom environment)
Pelagic= the region near the surface or at middle depths

6. (The entire Ocean Floor!)
Pelagic Environment
(All the water!)
Benthic Environment
(The entire Ocean Floor!)
Intertidal
Sublittoral
Bathyal
Abyssal
Hadal
Neritic
Oceanic

7. Benthic: intertidal Inter means “between”
Intertidal = between the high tide line and the low tide line

8. Benthic: sublittoral
From the END of the intertidal zone to the END of the continental shelf

9. Benthic: Bathyal
Along the continental slope- from the end of the shelf to the abyssal plain

10. Benthic: Abyssal Along the abyssal plain
No sunlight, no plants, very few animals

11. Benthic: hadal The floor of the ocean trenches
Not many organisms live here

12. Pelagic: Neritic Zone Covers the continental shelf
Largest concentration of marine life
More sunlight than any of the other ocean zones

13. Pelagic: Oceanic Zone
The open water beyond the c. shelf (trenches = hadal zone)
Many organisms in the upper regions, but strange creatures further below

15. As you go down further… Sunlight decreases Temperature decreases
The amount of life decreases
But… Pressure Increases
Why?

16. Remember the human pyramid?
Top = less pressure (surface of ocean)
Bottom = more pressure = bottom of ocean

18. Let’s do some practice!
For each Finding Nemo clip, identify the ocean zone where the clip takes place.