1. Ocean Zones and Lifestyles
Just when you thought you knew all of the zones…

2. Pelagic
Organisms that can swim up and down in the water column

3. Shore to Open Ocean Intertidal Neritic Oceanic Benthic
*Draw a quick sketch in your notes

4. Intertidal Area between the low tide line and high tide line
Organisms here are adapted to harsh, changing environment

5. Neritic Area over the continental shelf
Greatest density and diversity of life

6. Oceanic Zone
Edge of the continental shelf across the open ocean

7. Benthic
The ocean floor – underlies all the other zones

8. Organism Lifestyles
Plankton
Nekton
Benthos

9. Plankton Free floating plants and animals Phytoplankton – plants
Diatoms
Dinoflagellates
Zooplankton – animals
Larvae
Comb jellies
Forams

10. Nekton
Free swimmers
Aquatic animals that are able to swim and move independently of water currents.
Examples: Reptiles, mammals, fish, arthropods and mollusks

11. Benthos Bottom dwellers 2 Types
Sessile – live attached to the bottom or another organism
Examples: Barnacles, sponges, corals, anemones, oysters
Vagrant – able to move about
Examples – crabs, sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins