Ocean Zones - Water Depth Vs. Light Penetration, The Benthic Realm, Epipelagic Zone, Mesopelagic Zone, Bathypelagic, Abyssopelagic, And Hadalpelagic Zones - The pelagic realm
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Ocean zones are layers within the seas that contain distinctive plant and animal life. They are sometimes referred to as ocean layers or environmental zones. A system of zonation frequently used by oceanographers grew out of suggestions made by Joel Hedgpeth in 1957. According to that system, the ocean environment is first divided into two broad categories, known as realms, the benthic realm, consisting of the seafloor; and the pelagic realm, which consists of the ocean waters. Each of these realms is then subdivided into separate zones according to the depth of the water, which strongly influences the types of plant and animal life they contain.
Scientists often separate the pelagic realm into two regions, or divisions. The portion of the ocean that overlies the continental shelf, to a maximum depth of about 650 ft (200 m), is known as the neritic, or coastal, division. The portion outward from the continental shelf is classified as the oceanic division.
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The single most important factor in distinguishing vertical subdivisions of the benthic and pelagic realms is the availability of solar energy. Sunlight obviously cannot penetrate beyond a certain depth in the ocean. Some organisms have, however, evolved to cope with the absence of sunlight at great depths. Plants require sunlight to carry on photosynthesis, the process that converts carbon dioxid…
The benthic realm extends from the shoreline to the deepest parts of the ocean floor. The section of the shoreline above the high tide line is known as the supralittoral, supratidal, or "splash," zone. It is actually covered by water only during the highest tides of the year. The next lower region of the shoreline, between high and low tide, is referred to as the littoral, or interti…
As oceanographers extend their studies to the deepest parts of the oceans, they continually encounter surprises in the kinds of marine life found there. One of the most interesting of these surprises was the discovery of deep sea vents found near the Galapagos Islands in 1977. These vents are located in regions where molten rock lies just below the surface of the seafloor, producing underwater hot…
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