Under the Sea

1. Under the Sea Mackenzie Harrington

2. Background Information about Oceans • Oceans make up 70% of the Earth’s surface • 97% of the earth’s water is in the oceans • 5 main oceans: • Pacific • Atlantic • Indian • Artic • Southern

3. Zones • The ocean is divided up into zones. Each zone is determined by the amount of sunlight that can reach the area in the ocean. There are many different plants and animals in each oceanic zone. • Sunlight • Twilight • Midnight • Abyssal • Hadal

4. Sunlight Zone The Epipelagic Zone informally known as the Sunglight Zone, is from the surface of the water to about 200 meters. It has the most visbile light, and the most heat of all the layers of the ocean. It ranges from 27 to 207 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the only zone that has enough light for photosynthesis. Therefore this is the only zone that has plants.

5. The Twilight Zone The Mesopelagic Zone, also known as the Twilight, or Midwater Zone, is the second ocean zone. It is from 200 meters down to 1000 meters down. There is not much light, but there is enough to see during the day. Many of the animals in this zone have bioluminescence. This is when a fish has a certain chemical that creates light to help them see. There is not enough light for photosynthesis so the organisms have to eat food that is filtered down from above. There are filter feeders, grazers, and predators.

6. The Midnight Zone The Bathypelagic Zone, informally known as the Midnight Zone, is 1,000-4,000 meters deep, resulting in a total absence of sunlight. Bioluminescence, light produced by organisms, is the only source of light. Food is scarce. Only 5% of food from the Epipelagic Zone reaches the Bathypelagic Zone. Most organisms of the Midnight Zone either are “sit and wait” predators or attract their prey with their bioluminescent lights, such as the female angler fish, who injest their prey in the inrush into the angler’s mouth when the angler fish opens its mouth. Many Deep-Sea organisms will eat anything that comes their way. These organisms tend to be black, red, or transparent, which makes them almost invisible in the total darkness.

7. The Abyssal Zone The Abyss, also called the Abyssopelagic or Abyssal Zone lies in perpetual darkness. The name is Greek-based and means “bottomless”. It is from 2,000-6,000 meters. Because water pressure increases one atmosphere every 33 feet in depth, animals in the abyssal zone must be able to withstand tremendous amounts of pressure. Its waters are near-freezing at 2-3° C. This layer is low in oxygen, food, and nutrients.

8. The Hadal Zone The Trenches, also known as the Hadalpelagic or Hadal zone, are the deepest parts of the ocean. It is from 6000m (19,686 ft) below sea level to the bottom of the ocean. A trench is a narrow, elongate, v-shaped cavity in the ocean floor. Trenches are the deepest parts of the earth and ocean. The deepest trench in the world is the Mariana Trench off the coast of Japan. The Mariana Trench is 36,797ft (10,911m) below sea level. Trenches are formed where the oceanic plate goes below the overriding plate during subduction, a tectonic process. The trenches still remain largely unexplored because of its temperature (just above freezing) and pressure (8 tons per square inch). Because of the freezing temperature, intense pressure, and darkness of the trenches, very few organisms live here.

9. Animals of the Sunlight Zone Some organisms in the Sunlight Zone are sharks. Sharks have no bones, just cartilage. They range from 7 inches long to 50 feet long and most sharks have streamlined bodies that can help them easily go through the water. Bottom-dwelling sharks have flat bodies that help them hide in the sand. Sharks can have up to 3,000 teeth at one time with 5 rows of teeth. They need all these teeth because they're carnivores.

10. Animals of the Sunlight Zone Another type of fish in the Sunlight Zone is the Angelfish. There are about 70 different species. They are all brightly covered and live in reefs in warm waters. They range from 12-15 inches long. They are carnivores.

11. Animals of the Sunlight Zone Oysters also live in the Sunlight Zone. They ahve a soft body between two hard shells that are attached by a muscle. The largest oysters are three feet long. However, they can be as small as only a few inches long. They actually change genders. They begin as males and turn into females.

12. Animals of the Sunlight Zone The blowfish is an interesting fish that blows up when it is threatened. There are about 100 different species. They live in tropical and subtropical waters. They are posinous in their liver, muscles, skin and ovaries. The poision is called tetrodoxin and is paralyzing. They can range from a few inches long to two feet long.

13. Animals of the Twilight Zone One type of fish that lives in the Twilight Zone is the viperfish. It has a large mouth with teeth that don't fit in it's mouth. It's mouth is hinged so they can open it as wide as they want. It uses bioluminescence. It is about 11 to 12 inches long. They are dark, silvery blue. They are eaten by sharks and some dolphins.

14. Animals of the Twilight Zone There are about 45 different species of the hatchet fish. Ther range from 1 to 6 inches long. Most types have silvery scales. Most of these fish do not live for more than a year.

15. Animals of the Twilight Zone The cuttle fish has a soft body with eight arms. They have two tentacles. Their skin color and pattern changes. They only live for about 18 months. Cuttlefish are about one foot long and eat small mollusks, worms, crabs, and shrimp. They are eaten by sharks, fish and other cuttlefish.

16. Animals of the Twilight Zone The cuttle fish has a soft body with eight arms. They have two tentacles. Their skin color and pattern changes. They only live for about 18 months. Cuttlefish are about one foot long and eat small mollusks, worms, crabs, and shrimp. They are eaten by sharks, fish and other cuttlefish.