Word Work List #17 - Earth's Saltwater

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to marine ecosystems and ocean zones, providing definitions for better understanding.

Marine Ecosystems

An ocean community of organisms and the non-living factors that affect them.

Estuaries

Areas where freshwater mixes with salt water.

Ocean Zones

Areas of the ocean determined by distance from shoreline, light penetration, & water depth.

Intertidal zone

Portion of the shoreline that lies between the high and low tide lines.

Neritic zone

Area of ocean that extends from the low-tide line out to the edge of the continental shelf.

Oceanic zone

The vast open ocean from the edge of the continental shelf outward.

Pelagic zone

Open water above the ocean floor; can be divided into photic and aphotic zones.

Photic zone

The well-lit upper layer of the oceans; most ocean life is found in this area.

Aphotic zone

The dark layer of the oceans below the photic zone where sunlight does not penetrate.

Benthic zone

The bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment and supports its own community of organisms.

Abyssal zone

The deepest, darkest portion of the ocean floor where light does not penetrate and where temperatures are cold and pressures intense.

Upwelling

The movement of cold, nutrient rich waters from the deep ocean into shallow areas.

Nekton

All organisms that swim actively in open water, independent of currents.

Plankton

Tiny algae and animals that float in water and are carried by waves and currents.

Benthos

Organisms that live attached to or near the ocean floor.