Download Aquatic Life Zones

Aquatic Life Zones
Marine Biomes
Coastal Zone
Nearest to the shoreline
 Relatively warm, nutrient
rich, shallow.
 Ample sunlight.
 Most productive marine
zone (90% of species).

Examples of Coastal Zones

Examples: coral reefs,
estuaries, coastal wetlands
(marshes), beaches, barrier
islands.
Open Ocean Zone

Euphotic zone- 0 -200
meters. Light penetration
allows photosynthesis.
Phytoplankton and
zooplankton are abundant.

Bathyal zone- 200 – 1500
meters. Twilight condition.
Fewer organisms. Less
productive.

Abyssal zone- 1500+.
Total darkness. Organisms
adapted to darkness and
high pressure.
Freshwater Biomes
Lakes
 Large,
natural
bodies of standing
freshwater.
Lake types
Eutrophic- well nourished.
 Oligotrophic- poorly
nourished.
 Mesotrophic- medium
levels of nutrients.

Lake Zones
 Littoral-
along
shoreline, emergent
plants.
 Limnetic- water zone
with light penetration.
More lake zones…
 Produndal-
to deep
for light penetration,
sparsely populated.
Freshwater Streams
 Water flows with
gravity. Ex. river,
creek.
 Watershed- all areas
which drain into a body
of water.
Stream Zones
 Source-
water rushes
fast and cold from
highland source.
 Transition- begins to
slow and warm
More stream zones
 Flood
plain- stream
becomes slow and
meandering through
flat country.
Inland Wetlands
 Lands covered with
fresh water at least
part of the year. Ex.
Bogs, marshes,
swamps, prairie
potholes, mudflats, wet
meadows.
Aquatic Life Zone Determining
Factors
Water type- salt or fresh
 Light penetration- fuels
photosynthesis
 Nutrient inflow- near the land,
upwellings
 Depth- pressure, light
penetration
