1. © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Divisions of the Marine Environment
I. Pelagic (open sea)
 Neritic (< 200 meters) and oceanic
II. Benthic (sea floor)
 Subneritic and suboceanic

2. © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pelagic Environment
 Divided into biozones
1. Neritic Province –
from shore seaward,
all water < 200
meters deep
2. Oceanic Province –
depth increases
beyond 200 meters

3. © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Oceanic Province
 Further subdivided into four biozones
1. Epipelagic
a) Only zone to support photosynthesis
b) Dissolved oxygen decreases around 200 meters
2. Mesopelagic
a) Organisms capable of bioluminescence common
3. Bathypelagic
4. Abyssopelagic

4. © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Ocean Zones Based on Light Availability
I. Euphotic – surface to where enough light exists to
support photosynthesis
II. Disphotic – small but measurable quantities of light
III. Aphotic – no light

5. © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Benthic Environments
I. Supralittoral
II. Subneritic
1. Littoral
2. Sublittoral
a) Inner
b) Outer
III. Suboceanic
1. Bathyal
2. Abyssal
3. Hadal

6. © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Organisms of the Deep

8. Ocean Zonation
The ocean can be divided into many zones. The ocean bottom is the
(1)benthic zone and the water itself (of the water column) is the (2)
pelagic zone. The (3)neritic zone is that part of pelagic zone that
extends from the high tide line to an ocean bottom less than 600
feet deep. Water deeper than 600 feet is called the (4)oceanic zone,
which itself is divided on the basis of water depth into the
(5)epipelagic, (6)mesopelagic, and (7)bathypelagic zones.
These zones roughly correspond to three other zones divided on the
basis of the amount of sunlight they receive. In the (8)euphotic
zone, enough light penetrates to support photosynthesis. Below
that lies the (9)disphotic zone, where very small amounts of light
penetrate. 90% of the space in the ocean lies in the (10)aphotic
zone, which entirely devoid on light.