Neritic zone

<h2 id="definition-marine-biology-context-extra-terminology">Definition (marine biology), context, extra terminology</h2>
<p>In <a href="/facts/Marine_biology/3pNR9o6L">marine biology</a>, the neritic zone, also called coastal waters, the coastal ocean or the sublittoral zone,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> refers to the <a href="/facts/Ocean/8W8lYgjD">zone of the ocean</a> where <a href="/facts/Sunlight/WPkJRC7s">sunlight</a> reaches the <a href="/facts/Ocean_floor/VvxuEWJu">ocean floor</a>, that is, where the water is never so deep as to take it out of the <a href="/facts/Photic_zone/pTrzLGG5">photic zone</a>.
</p><p>It extends from the low tide mark to the edge of the <a href="/facts/Continental_shelf/dpgHAR4U">continental shelf</a>, with a relatively shallow depth extending to about 200 meters (660 feet).
Above the neritic zone lie the <a href="/facts/Intertidal_zone/grnBDVQ3">intertidal</a> (or eulittoral) and <a href="/facts/Supralittoral_zone/ncb9Gj7C">supralittoral</a> zones; below it the <a href="/facts/Continental_slope/Wgc47bX7">continental slope</a> begins, descending from the continental shelf to the <a href="/facts/Abyssal_plain/UWv7Tt5b">abyssal plain</a> and the <a href="/facts/Pelagic_zone/D6heJr5f">pelagic zone</a>.
</p><p>Within the neritic, marine biologists also identify the following:
</p>
<ul><li>The infralittoral zone is the <a href="/facts/Algal/U1ftVKU3">algal</a>-dominated zone down to around five metres below the low water mark.</li>
<li>The circalittoral zone is the region beyond the infralittoral, which is dominated by <a href="/facts/Sessility_(zoology)/f0xV4VV1">sessile</a> animals such as <a href="/facts/Oyster/ctvJgcks">oysters</a>.</li>
<li>The subtidal zone is the region of the neritic zone which is below the intertidal zone, therefore never exposed to the atmosphere.</li></ul>
<h2 id="physical-characteristics">Physical characteristics</h2>
<p>The neritic zone is covered with generally well-<a href="/facts/Oxygenation_(environmental)/eYbRAA1u">oxygenated</a> water, receives plenty of <a href="/facts/Ecology/YE8upuJU">sunlight</a>, is relatively stable <a href="/facts/Temperature/QyGe4gmj">temperature</a>, has low water <a href="/facts/Ecology/YE8upuJU">pressure</a> and stable <a href="/facts/Salinity/X6mB1YAM">salinity</a> levels, making it highly suitable for <a href="/facts/Photosynthesis/TMV7w693">photosynthetic</a> life.
There are several different areas or zones in the ocean. The area along the bottom of any body of water from the shore to the deepest abyss is called the <a href="/facts/Benthic_zone/N3lM6P7I">benthic zone</a>. It is where decomposed organic debris (also known as ocean 'snow') has settled to form a sediment layer. All <a href="/facts/Photosynthesis/TMV7w693">photosynthetic</a> life needs light to grow and how far out into the ocean light can still penetrate through the water column to the floor or <a href="/facts/Benthic_zone/N3lM6P7I">benthic zone</a> is what defines the neritic zone. That <a href="/facts/Photic_zone/pTrzLGG5">photic zone</a>, or area where light can penetrate through the water column, is usually above ~100 meters (~328 feet). Some coastal areas have a long area of shallow water that extends far out beyond the landmass into the water and others, for example islands that have formed from ancient volcanos where the 'shelf' or edge of the land mass is very steep, have a very short neritic zone.
</p>
<h2 id="life-forms">Life forms</h2>
<p>The above characteristics make the neritic zone the location of the majority of sea life.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
The result is high <a href="/facts/Primary_production/14RzcF5E">primary production</a> by photosynthetic life such as <a href="/facts/Phytoplankton/tK5MUIkA">phytoplankton</a> and floating <a href="/facts/Sargassum/KUhjp73B">sargassum</a>;
<a href="/facts/Zooplankton/9omoIP2d">zooplankton</a>, free-floating creatures ranging from microscopic <a href="/facts/Foraminiferans/8Yo9cPTI">foraminiferans</a> to small fish and <a href="/facts/Shrimp/QeWUDe2b">shrimp</a>, feed on the phytoplankton (and one another);
both <a href="/facts/Trophic_levels/tHMpgkUC">trophic levels</a> in turn form the base of the <a href="/facts/Food_chain/mvDKQTGu">food chain</a> (or, more properly, <a href="/facts/Food_web/YaakLo08">web</a>) that supports most of the world's great <a href="/facts/Wild_fisheries/TRmPktys">wild fisheries</a>.
<a href="/facts/Coral/j7fBLrpw">Corals</a> are also mostly found in the neritic zone, where they are more common than in the <a href="/facts/Intertidal_zone/grnBDVQ3">intertidal zone</a> as they have less change to deal with.
</p>
<h2 id="definition-physical-oceanography">Definition (physical oceanography)</h2>
<p>In <a href="/facts/Physical_oceanography/E2gVWg8N">physical oceanography</a>, the sublittoral zone[<i>or "neritic"? clarification needed</i>] refers to coastal regions with significant <a href="/facts/Tide/zNstvWPv">tidal</a> flows and <a href="/facts/Energy/wd8PrQM7">energy</a> <a href="/facts/Dissipation/C134STy1">dissipation</a>, including non-linear flows, <a href="/facts/Internal_wave/bduqBy5l">internal waves</a>, <a href="/facts/River/GxdjEX21">river</a> outflows and <a href="/facts/Ocean_front/VTFBjrer">ocean fronts</a>.
As in marine biology, this zone typically extends to the edge of the <a href="/facts/Continental_shelf/dpgHAR4U">continental shelf</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Coastal_fish/LHPoSypK">Coastal fish</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>anon. (n.d). Ocean Regions: Blue Water – Characteristics. Available: "Ocean Regions: Blue Water - Characteristics". Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2012.. Last accessed 15 May 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071213175703/http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/regions/bluewater1.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20071213175703/http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/regions/bluewater1.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Rizk, F. (n.d). MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY. Available: "Primary Productivity". Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.. Last accessed 15 May 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141109100056/http://faculty.scf.edu/rizkf/OCE1001/OCEnotes/chap11.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20141109100056/http://faculty.scf.edu/rizkf/OCE1001/OCEnotes/chap11.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Experts, A. Team Of (January 2000). Advanced Learner S Dictionary Botany. Anmol Publications Pvt. ISBN 9788126104611. Retrieved 10 February 2016. <a href="9788126104611" target="_blank">9788126104611</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Office of Naval Research Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine <a href="http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/regions/bluewater1.htm" target="_blank">http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/regions/bluewater1.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Neritic zone open-in-new

Neritic zone