Aquatic Life Zone Organizational Chart
Zone
Mangrove
Swamps
Coral Reefs
Barrier Islands
Coastal Zone
Estuarine Zone
Euphotic Zone
Bathyl Zone
Abyssal Zone
Deep sea thermal
vents
Riverine System
Lateral Zone
Limnetic Zone
Profundal zone
Benthic Zone
Characteristics
-Found on coastlines in tropical/subtropical areas
-many trees help buffer land from storm surge
-trees adapted to soil with low oxygen
-Found clear tropical waters
-very high diversity in the ocean
-acidic waters cause bleaching and death
-symbiotic relationship with coral and algae(zooxanthellae)
-Characterized by constant change
-outer banks is one of the largest examples globally
-provide inland protection from hurricanes and storm surge
-birds nest on the beach
-Found everywhere that oceans exist
-90 percent of species are found here
-highly productive because of nutrients from rivers
-upwelling usually occurs here
-Mixture of saltwater from the ocean and freshwater from rivers
-serves as a nursery for juvenile organisms
-Chesapeake Bay is an example
-Area of the ocean where light can penetrate
-depth changes with water clarity and productivity of plankton
-Thermocline is present here (rapid change in temperature with depth)
-very little light at this depth so few to no plants.
-twilight zone
-Deepest parts of the ocean just above the bottom
-animals adapted to high pressure, low light, and low availability of food
-decomposers are abundant.
-Located at spreading centers in the earth’s crust
-no plants because no light; organisms use chemicals coming from the crust
to make food (chemosynthesis).
-Characterized by flowing water that changes with topography
-has floodplains on the edge of the habitat
-Some species are anadromous/migratory for reproduction
-Area in lakes where rooted vegetation occurs in the water
-size of zone depends on how quickly the bank drops off from the shore.
-Area of a lake where rooted vegetation ends
-algae exists because light is present here
-fish show countershading.
-Zone of a lake where light is not present
-organisms are less visual and more sensory with chemicals and electrical
impulses.
-Exists anywhere that has water
-the bottom of any body of water
-can be rocky in rivers or muddy in lakes and ponds -mostly decomposers in
areas with no light.