Aquatic Ecosystems
Marine Ecosystem
• The Ocean can be divided into zones
Intertidal zone – strip of land between
high and low tide lines (changes in
moisture, salinity, temperature)
Neritic zone – extends from intertidal out
to the edge of the continental shelf
Bathyal zone – from the edge of the
neritic to the base of the continental shelf
(turbid, murky, high pressure)
Abyssal zone - below 2000 meters (no
light, chemosynthetic)
Coastal Water habitats
• Coral Reefs
• Kelp Forests
Estuaries & Fresh Water
• Estuary – a partially closed body of water
where a river flows into an ocean
Carries high levels of nutrients from inland areas
Highly productive areas
Freshwater Eccosystems
• Watershed – a region of land that drains into a
river
Fresh water zones
• Littoral zone – located
between high and low
water marks along the
shoreline
• Limnetic zone - open
water farther out from
shore
• Benthic zone – lake or
pond bottom (less
sunlight)