Ocean Zones and Layers

Midnight Zone (Aphotic)

Begins at 3000 ft. and extends down to the ocean floor- makes up 3/4 of the total ocean- temperature is near freezing, water pressure is very high, and it is completely dark in this zone

intertidal zone

Portion of the shoreline that lies between the high and low tide lines

neritic zone

The region of shallow ocean water over the continental shelf.

Sunlight zone (Photic zone)

The top layer of the ocean

euphotic zone

Upper layer of a body of water through which sunlight can penetrate and support photosynthesis.

benthic zone

bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment and supports its own community of organisms

aphotic zone

dark layer of the oceans below the photic zone where sunlight does not penetrate

Oceanic Zone (Open Ocean)

extends from 200 meters all the way down to the bottom of the ocean

dysphotic zone

the deeper, less biologically productive portion of the euphotic zone

continental shelf

the earth's surface from the edge of a continent to the deep part of the ocean

twilight zone

the lowest level of the ocean to which light can reach

photic zone (ocean)

the upper layer of a body of water delineated by the depth to which enough sunlight can penetrate to permit photosynthesis.