littoral zone

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Zonation of the ocean. The open ocean, the pelagic zone, includes all marine waters throughout the globe beyond the continental shelf, as well as the benthic, or bottom, environment on the ocean floor. Nutrient concentrations are low in most areas of the open ocean, and as a result this great expanse of water contains only a small percentage of all marine organisms. Far below the surface in the midocean ridges of the abyssal zone, deep-sea hydrothermal vents supporting an unusual assemblage of organisms—including chemoautotrophic bacteria—occur.

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A large school of mano (sharks) called Galapagos sharks at Maro Reef in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)a worldwide species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae.

Saving Sharks in the 2020s

algae. Lake Erie. Dead fish in harmful algal bloom along the southeast Lake Erie shore of Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada, 5 miles north of the international line Aug. 19, 2011. Toxic algae blooms, drinking water, 4th largest of 5 Great Lakes

Harmful Algal Blooms

Star fish entangled in gillnet

Talking Ocean Trash: Ghost Gear Keeps on Fishing

Great Barrier Reef coral bleached area map and infographic

Coral Bleaching: A Threat to Our Reefs

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illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum

Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs

Lusitania sinking, illustration from The War of the Nations (New York), December 31, 1919. World War I, WWI. This image is one of three on the page. (See source file for the other two.)

7 of the World’s Deadliest Shipwrecks

Ruminant. Deer. Red deer. Cervus elaphus. Buck. Stag. Antlers.

9 of the World’s Deadliest Mammals

Two chicks near an egg with a white background (poultry, chick, chickens, birds).

What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?

Easter Procession of Maria Santisima del Sacromonte in Granada, Spain. This statue is known as Virgen de los Gitanos or The Virgin of the Gypsies.

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Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.

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The impeachment trial of Pres. Andrew Johnson, illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.

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littoral zone: Facts & Related Content

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Facts

Also Known As	intertidal zone

Photos

Zonation of the ocean. The open ocean, the pelagic zone, includes all marine waters throughout the globe beyond the continental shelf, as well as the benthic, or bottom, environment on the ocean floor. Nutrient concentrations are low in most areas of the open ocean, and as a result this great expanse of water contains only a small percentage of all marine organisms. Far below the surface in the midocean ridges of the abyssal zone, deep-sea hydrothermal vents supporting an unusual assemblage of organisms—including chemoautotrophic bacteria—occur.

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Topics

sand beach rocky coast sublittoral zone supralittoral zone marine ecosystem coastal ecosystem benthic division bottom water halocline deep-scattering layer abyssal zone bathyal zone photic zone neritic zone

Quiz

Chutes d'Ekom - a waterfall on the Nkam river in the rainforest near Melong, in the western highlands of Cameroon in Africa.

Ecosystems

Chutes d'Ekom - a waterfall on the Nkam river in the rainforest near Melong, in the western highlands of Cameroon in Africa.

Ecosystems