Ch 27: Oceanic Ecosystems

Bathomes

biomes delineated by water depth

Ratcheting

a thinning and reduced degree of calcification of the skeletal formations in deep-sea organisms

oceanic zones

a series of latitudinal circulatory processes that result in bands of water-mass structures

big table on slide 6 and 7

Epipelagic Zone / Upper open oncean

surgace of the oceanic realm with sufficient sunlight for algae to covert carbon dioxide into organic matter, extending to 200 m

Mesopelagic Zone / Middle Open Ocean

stretches from the bottom of the epipelagic zone to the depth at which no sunlight exitst, appx 1000m in dpeth

Bathypelagic Zone / Lower Open Ocean

begins at bottom of mesopelagic zone (ca 1000m) and extending to 4000m

Abyssopelagic Zone

extends from 3000-4000m to 6000m depth at the abyssal plain seafloor

Hadopelagic Zone

only exists in specific locations around the world and includes the waters overlying the hadal trenches from 6000 to >11000m depth