Lake zones
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benthic zone
"floor" or bottom layer. Inhabited by decomposers, detritus feeders, and some fish. Dead matter falls here.
profundal zone
Aka aphotic zone. Deep open water too dark for photosynthesis. Oxygen levels low without sunlight and plants.
photic zone
Aka euphotic zone-layer closest to surface. Receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis to occur.
limnetic zone
main photosynthetic body of the lake, produces the food and oxygen that support most of the lake's consumers, sunlit surface (away from shore)-extends the depth of sunlight penetration
littoral
top layer, near the shore, most productive zone (due to sunlight and nutrients from surrounding land), high biodiversity, shallow sunlit waters
