Epipelagic Zone

0-200 meters

depth of epipelagic zone

warm and well-lit

two big characteristics of epipelagic zone

plankton

organism that drift with the current and cannot swim against it

holoplankton

oragnisms that spend their whole life as plankton

meroplankton

organisms that spend part of their life as plankton (larvae)

phytoplankton

plankton that photosynthesizes/n fixes

primary producers

phytoplanktons role/trophic level (base of food web)

diatoms and dinoflagellates

two key species of phytoplankton

zooplankton

plankton that includes krill/jelly fish/arrow worms (primary consumers)

primary consumers

what is zooplankton’s role/trophic level (they eat phytoplankton)

Nekton

organisms that can swim again the water collumn

secondary and tertiary consumers

nektons role/trophic level (mostly carnivores) (two levels)

Neuston

organisms that live just in/below the surface film

photoinhibition

too much light exposure leading to a lack of phytoplankton

pleuston

organisms that float with part of them extending above water (Man O’ War/flying fish)

wind

what do pleuston organisms use for movement

Vertical Migration

Many plankton use this method of going to the surface to feed at night and sinking back down to avoid predators during day

phytoplankton/zooplankton/small nekton/large nekton/top predators

what is the energy flow of the food web in epipelagic zones (5 levels)

complex food web

why doesn’t the energy transfer of the Epipelagic zone stay at 10%