Ocean parts
holds the greatest variety of different animals and plants
what is the Continental shelf?
sunlight helps the plankton to produce food.many animals live in this area, as plankton often start a food chain
sunlit zone
as with any food chain, the key types are the...
Producers,consumers,Decomposers
what are they caused by?
Wind, temperature, and salinity
affects where organisms live because most organisms need sunlight. Most organisms live in the upper, sunlit zones.
depth
flat area of the ocean
what is the abyssal plain?
intense pressure and freezing temperatures means that barely any animals live here
midnight zone
live on the ocean floor and feed off of dead or dying organisms that sink to the ocean floor, such as crabs and lobsters
Decomposers
what temperature can it be?
warm or cold depending on what part of the world they come from
colder water animals have a thick layer of fat or blubber to keep them warm. Organisms needing warmer water often live near the equator.
temperature
Deepest part of the ocean similar to canyons on land
not enough sunlight for plants, and not many animals live here
twilight zone
larger organism that eat other organisms in order to survive, such as zooplankton, fish, and whales
Consumers
can it run along the surface?
it can run along the surface or churn deep within the ocean
the amount of salt in the ocean varies from place to place and during the times of the year. Runoff from fresh water also affects how much salt is in the water.
salinity
steep drop off of the continental shelf
what is the continental slope?
often phytoplankton which are tiny plants that produce food from sunlight. they start the food chain
Producers
Can it mix up the ocean water?
it can mix up the ocean water
gently sloping area that connects the steep walls of the continental slope to the ocean floor
what is the continental rise?