Introduction to OCEAN ZONES and

1. Introduction to OCEAN ZONES and Marine Organisms Ms. Bridgeland

3. Ocean Zones • Intertidal Zone: the shallow zone that is the distance between the highest and lowest tides • Neritic Zone: extends from the lowest tide line out to the edge of the continental shelf • Open-ocean Zone: everything beyond the continental shelf that includes the deepest, darkest part of the ocean

4. How do the zones differ from one another? • Intertidal: • Shallow • Organisms have to withstand changes in temperature, salinity, & periods being exposed to water & air • Neritic: • More animals live here than in any other ocean zone • High amounts of algae • Open-Ocean • Deep, dark, high pressure

5. Scientists classify marine (ocean) organisms based on two ways: 1) Where they live 2) How they move

6. 3 Categories of Ocean Organisms • Plankton – floating –> rely on currents to move • Nekton –free swimming animals that move through the water on their own • Benthos –still or move along the ocean floor

7. PLANKTON -tiny fish -microscopic crustaceans -algae

8. Plankton: Algae

9. Animal Plankton (zooplankton): Copepods & Krill

10. NEKTON

11. Nekton • Squid • Most FISH • Marine Mammals

12. Benthos • live on the ocean floor: • Can stay still • Sponges • Sea anemones • Can move around along the ocean floor • Crabs • Sea stars • Octopus • Lobsters