For example, 500 fathoms = 500 x 6ft. The ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level. Geographers divide the ocean into five major basins: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern. Sunlight only penetrates the sea surface to a depth of about 200 m, creating the photic zone (photic means light). As the name suggests, the sunlight penetrates this highest zone, providing the means for photosynthesis. ( Log Out /  The Ocean is the heart of the planet. They divide the entire ocean into two zones vertically, based on light level. 2. Oceanographers have divided the ocean into zones based on how far light reaches. Oceanographers divide the ocean into five broad zones according to how far down sunlight penetrates: the epipelagic, or sunlit, zone: the top layer of the ocean where enough sunlight penetrates for plants to carry on photosynthesis. There is the euphotic zone, which receives enough light to permit photosynthesis. This zone contains the vast majority of commercial fisheries and is home to many protected marine mammals and sea turtles. the abyssal zone: the pitch-black bottom layer of the ocean; the water here is almost freezing and its pressure is immense. The oceans are further categorized into zones by depth, light and other factors. The disphotic zone, where there is just a small amount of light, and also the aphotic zone, which has no light at all. The Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans merge into icy waters around Antarctica. the bathypelagic, or midnight, zone: the deep ocean layer where no light penetrates. There are three major factors that make the deep ocean hard to inhabit: the absence of light, low temperature, and extremely high pressure. The oceanic zone is the entire rest of the ocean from the bottom edge of the neritic zone, where sunlight does not reach the bottom. This hallmark of the intertidal is change, where water is in constant motions from ocean waves, tides, and currents. the mesopelagic, or twilight, zone: a dim zone where some light penetrates, but not enough for plants to grow. http://www.opengeography.org/physical-geography.html, http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/yos/resource/JetStream/ocean/oceanprofile.htm. To get the total depth in feet from fathoms given, just multiply by 6. Sunlight only penetrates the sea surface to a depth of about 200 m, creating the photic zone (consisting of the Sunlight Zone and Twilight Zone). In fact, more than 99% of the inhabitable space on earth is in the open ocean. An oceanographer can find employment with a private research institution, university, government agency, or environmental organization. The layer’s name has origins in the Greek language and loosely translates to “no bottom.” Just like the layer below it, temperatures are near freezing point, and there is no penetration of natural light. From the above discussion, water temperature and salinity have great effect to ocean water. Change ). These layers, known as "zones", extend from the surface to the most extreme depths where light can no longer penetrate. The seabed is also divided into the zones described above, but the ocean itself is also divided horizontally by distance from the shore. Why is the Ocean so important? Oceanographers divide the ocean into 5 broad zones as seen in the chart above. The Abyssopelagic zone, also known as the Abyss or Abyssal zone, lies just above the hadalpelagic layer between 13,124 feet and 19,686 feet. Sunlight Zone. The pelagic zone includes all open ocean regions, and can be divided into further regions categorized by depth and light abundance. Some oceanographers define this as a fifth ocean, most commonly called the Southern Ocean. Sunlit Zone: This is the top layer, nearest the surface. ( Log Out /  This zone goes about 200 meters or just over 650 feet below the ocean’s surface. Nearest to the shore lies the intertidal zone, the region between the high and low tidal marks. Pressure is also high due to the weight of the water above. Sea plants, like Posidonia, produce 70% of the oxygen we breathe (1), and the deep waters are home to wildlife and some of the biggest creatures on earth.It provides us with food, jobs, life, entertainment, and sailing! The depth to which sunlight can penetrate in the ocean controls the amount and distribution of marine life . Oceanographers divide the ocean into different vertical zones defined by physical and biological conditions. They desire to understand the ocean’s secrets and mysteries. What Does an Oceanographer Do? Oceanographers can explore the ocean directly by using scuba diving equipment or more complex deep-sea diving systems. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Together, they could hide 20 Washington Monuments stacked on top of each other. ( Log Out /  There are Thermocline and Pycnocline. They are: 1. T he ocean can be divided from its surface to its depth into three zones based on the amount of light received. The two major zones of the ocean are the sea floor, or bottom region, called the benthic realm Oceanographers divide the majority of the ocean midwater into five broad zones. Different animals can only handle certain ranges of temperature and salinity, so you will not find an animal that needs warm water at the bottom of the ocean. The part of the ocean that sunlight reaches is called the Photic zone and the parts of the sun that doesn’t reach is called the aphotic zone 3. the mesopelagic, or twilight, zone: a dim zone where some light penetrates, but not enough for plants to grow.… The very deepest depth of the ocean is roughly 2,000 meters deeper than Mount Everest is tall—36,070 feet deep (10,994 m)! Large lakes are divided into similar regions. Posted October 6, 2011 by stevenrigby4A in Uncategorized. Distance from … They divide the entire ocean into two zones vertically, based on light level. A fathom is a unit of length in Standard English that is used to measure ocean depths. Types of Ocean Zones *What is a Fathom? The land is sometimes under water and sometimes is exposed. Dynamic Earth: Introduction to Physical Geography. The ocean can be divided into two basic areas: the benthic zone or ocean floor and the pelagic zone or ocean waters. The photic zone includes the oceans from the surface to a depth of 200 m; it is the region where photosynthesis can occur and is, therefore, the most biodiverse Each zone has a different mix of species adapted to its light levels, pressures, and temperatures. Where would you expect to find the kelp (a type of algae) forest, pictured below, and why? Oceanographers divide the ocean into five broad zones according to how far down sunlight penetrates: the epipelagic, or sunlit, zone: the top layer of the ocean where enough sunlight penetrates for plants to carry on photosynthesis. Water covers more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. All oceanographers know about biology, physics, and chemistry, as well as geology. The neritic zone is from low tide mark and slopes gradually downward to the edge of the seaward side of the continental shelf. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Sep 27, 2013 - Oceanographers divide the ocean into three broad zones. From Sunlight to Darkness The pelagic region is divided into three zones. The ocean is also divided into zones according to how much sunlight they receive. Organisms that photosynthesize depend on sunlight for food and so are restricted to the photic zone. Compare the characteristics of the 5 zones. The sunlight zone, the twilight zone, the midnight zone, the abyss and the trenches. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. To better understand regions of the ocean, scientists define the water column by depth. Chemical oceanographers will specialize in studying sediments and marine plants. What criteria do scientists use to divide the ocean into different zones? In 1960, two men in a specially designed submarine called the Trieste descended into a submarine trench called the Challenger Deep (10,910 meters). Smithsonian Institution. Oceanographers divide the ocean into different zones depending on the present physical and biological conditions. It is approximately 6 vertical feet. How far is a league? Sunlight only penetrates the sea surface to a depth of about 200 m, creating the photic zone (consisting of the Sunlight Zone and Twilight Zone). In the thermocline, temperature changes drastically between Epipelagic zone and the lower zone called Mesopelagic zone). They divide the entire ocean into two zones vertically, based on light level. Only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth. Three physical factors used to divide the ocean into marine life zones are the availability of sunlight, distance from shore, and water depth. It is also called the euphotic zone. - benthos are organisms living on or in the ocean bottom; an example would be a coral crab - plankton comprises the largest biomass List three physical factors that are used to divide the ocean into marine life zones. Open Ocean Zones. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Organisms that photosynthesize depend on sunlight for food and so are restricted to the photic zone. Each zone has a different mix of species adapted to its specific light level, pressure, temperature, and community. The ocean water column is made up of 5 zones. Large lakes are divided into similar regions. Scientists may track the movement of minerals and sediments, analyze seismic and volcanic activity, or survey ocean floors. Apr 23, 2015 - Oceanographers divide the ocean into different zones by physical and biological conditions. Together, they could hide 20 Washington Monuments stacked on top of each other. What characteristics make an estuary such a productive ecosystem? The part of the shore that is affected by tides is called the intertidal zone. Physical oceanographers are mainly concerned with the physical characteristics and processes within the ocean, such as waves, temperature, tides, currents, eddies, transportation of sand on and off the beaches, and the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere. Any list of ocean zones facts will note that plant species like free-floating algae, seaweed, phytoplankton, and many others are common in the sunlight zone. The upper 200 meters (656 feet) of the ocean is called the euphotic, or "sunlight," zone. The average depth of the ocean is 3,790 m, a lot more shallow than the deep trenches but still an incredible depth for sea creatures to live in. In the aphotic zone (consisting of the Midnight Zone and the Abyss) there is not enough light for photosynthesis. Oceanographers divide the ocean into zones according to How far down the sunlight reaches. Scientists have divided the ocean into five main layers. There are two important concepts in relation to temperature and density. Open sea and open floor, presence of light, distance from shore land and water depth. In the range of under 3,300 feet (1,005.84 meters) to 13,100 feet ( 3992.88 meters) in depth, water temperature is re… Oceanographers divide the ocean into three broad zones. These deep zones are where some of the most bizarre and fascinating creatures in the sea can be found. Some sunlight penetrates to the seabed here. It is important for oceanographers to divide the ocean into vertical zones because there are major differences between the different zones such as temperature, light, and salinity. The epipelagic zone is the one closest to the surface and is the best lit. The open ocean is an enormous place. The top zone is the euphotic or sunlit zone. Since tiny photosynthetic organisms, known as phytoplankton, supply nearly all of the energy and nutrients to the rest of the marine food web, most other marine organisms live in or at least visit the photic zone. They examine deep currents, the ocean-atmosphere relationship that influences weather and climate, the transmission of light and sound through water, and the ocean’s interactions with its boundaries at the sea floor and the coast. The oceans are a large environment, and so the science of oceanography must be just as large. Although the ocean is one continuous body of water, oceanographers have divided it into four principal areas: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic Oceans. In order to better study and understand this huge ecosystem, scientists divide the it into different zones: 1. All of the light zones can be found in the oceanic zone. As a result, oceanographers divide the ocean into zones according to physical characteristics, just as the land environment that we live in is divided into zones (tundras, forests, grasslands, deserts, etc.). Here there is enough light penetrating the water to support photosynthesis. Invertebrates like sea stars and squid… Deeper descents require some kind of a pressure vessel such as a bell or submarine. the hadal zone: the waters found in the ocean’s deepest trenches. Geological oceanographers study the geographical features such as the ocean floor and tectonic activity. This is the ocean zone that sunlight penetrates. It’s one of the ocean life zones that supports many common sea animals like dolphins, blue … Large lakes are divided into similar regions. Chemical oceanographers look at the chemical aspects and composition that make up oceans. = 3,000 feet. The pelagic zone includes all open ocean regions, and can be divided into further regions categorized by depth and light abundance. Scientists basically divide the ocean depths into 5 main layers of the ocean (or ocean zones) which extend from the surface to very deep – we’re talking 36,000 feet which is more than a mile deeper than Mount Everest is tall. The area is rich in nutrients carried by the river from inland areas. Oceanographers study every different aspect of the ocean, such as the chemistry of the of ocean water, the geology associated with the ocean, the physical movements of the ocean water, or even the life that calls the ocean its home. The main aim of Oceanographers is to unravel the mysteries of the ocean. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. abiotic factors that influence life forms vary by location within ocean systems. The aphotic zone makes up the majority of the ocean, but has a relatively small amount of its life, both in diversity of type and in numbers. ( Log Out / 
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