Neritic zone: Difference between revisions

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The neritic zone is the relatively shallow part of the ocean between the low tide mark and the continental shelf. From the point of view of marine biology it forms a relatively stable and well-illuminated environment for marine life, from plankton up to large fish and corals, while physical oceanography sees it as where oceanic system interact with the coast.

In marine biology, the neritic zone, also called coastal waters, the coastal ocean or the sublittoral zone,^[1] refers to that zone of the ocean below the low tide mark where sunlight reaches the ocean floor, that is, where the water is never so deep as to take it out of the photic zone.^{[? or entire top-layer clarification needed]} It extends from the low tide mark to the edge of the continental shelf, with a relatively shallow depth extending to about 200 meters (110 fathoms or 667 feet). Above the neritic zone lie the intertidal (or eulittoral) and supralittoral zones; below it the continental slope begins, descending from the continental shelf to the abyssal plain and the pelagic zone.

Within the neritic, marine biologists also identify the following:^{[citation needed]}

The infralittoral zone is the algal dominated zone to maybe five metres below the low water mark.
The circalittoral zone is the region beyond the infralittoral, which is dominated by sessile animals such as oysters.
The subtidal zone is sometimes^{[citation needed]} defined as the shallower region of the neritic zone close to the shore.^{[clarification needed : vague definition]}

The neritic zone is permanently covered with generally well-oxygenated water, receives plenty of sunlight and has low water pressure; moreover, it has relatively stable temperature, pressure, light and salinity levels, making it suitable for photosynthetic life. In particular, the benthic zone (shallow ocean floor) in the neritic is much more stable than in the intertidal zone.

The above characteristics make the neritic zone the location of the majority of sea life:^[2] they result in high primary production by photosynthetic life such as phytoplankton and floating sargassum; zooplankton, free-floating creatures ranging from microscopic foraminiferans to small fish and shrimp, feed on the phytoplankton (and one another); both trophic levels in turn form the base of the food chain (or, more properly, web) that supports most of the world's great wild fisheries. Corals are also mostly found in the neritic zone, where they are more common than in the intertidal zone as they have less change to deal with.

In physical oceanography, the sublittoral zone^{[or “neritic”? clarification needed]} refers to coastal regions with significant tidal flows and energy dissipation, including non-linear flows, internal waves, river outflows and ocean fronts.^{[citation needed]} As in marine biology, this zone typically extends to the edge of the continental shelf.

References

[1] Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Botany

[2] Office of Naval Research

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{ocean habitat topics|image=Sargassum weeds closeup.jpg|caption=''[[Sargassum]]'' seaweed drifting in the neritic zone provides food and shelter for small [[epipelagic fish]]}}
+<!-- Lead paragraph -->
-The '''neritic zone''', also called '''coastal waters''', the '''coastal ocean''' or the '''[[sublittoral zone]]''',<ref> [http://books.google.com/books?id=_R4zee8ZktEC&pg=PA331&lpg=PA331&dq=necritic+zone&source=web&ots=m6ZWOVLbWT&sig=TznmScf1OaaTGseaqvRdHF3HFEc Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Botany]</ref> is the part of the ocean extending from the low tide mark to the edge of the [[continental shelf]], with a relatively shallow depth extending to about 200 meters (110 fathoms or 667 feet). The neritic zone has generally well-oxygenated water, low water pressure, and relatively stable temperature and [[salinity]] levels. These, combined with presence of light and the resulting [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic]] life, such as [[phytoplankton]] and floating [[sargassum]],<ref>[http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/regions/bluewater1.htm Office of Naval Research]</ref> make the neritic zone the location of the majority of sea life.
+The '''neritic zone''' is the relatively shallow part of the ocean between the low tide mark and the [[continental shelf]].
+From the point of view of [[marine biology]] it forms a relatively stable and well-illuminated environment for marine life, from [[plankton]] up to large [[fish]] and [[coral]]s,
+while [[physical oceanography]] sees it as where oceanic system interact with the coast.
-[[Zooplankton]], free-floating creatures ranging from microscopic [[foraminiferans]] to small fish and shrimp, live in this zone, and together with the phytoplankton form the base of the food pyramid that supports most of the world's great fishing areas
+<!-- Definition (marine biology), context, extra terminology -->
-At the edge of the neritic zone, the [[continental slope]] begins, descending from the [[continental shelf]] to the [[abyssal plain]] and the [[pelagic zone]].
+In [[marine biology]], the '''neritic zone''', also called '''coastal waters''', the '''coastal ocean''' or the '''sublittoral zone''',<ref> [http://books.google.com/books?id=_R4zee8ZktEC&pg=PA331&lpg=PA331&dq=necritic+zone&source=web&ots=m6ZWOVLbWT&sig=TznmScf1OaaTGseaqvRdHF3HFEc Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Botany]</ref> refers to that [[Ocean#Zones and depths|zone of the ocean]] below the [[low tide]] mark where [[sunlight]] reaches the [[ocean floor]], that is, where the water is never so deep as to take it out of the [[photic zone]].{{clarify|date=January 2014|pre-text=? or entire top-layer|reason=some sources say it is the top level of the entire ocean}}
+It extends from the low tide mark to the edge of the [[continental shelf]], with a relatively shallow depth extending to about 200 meters (110 fathoms or 667 feet).
+Above the neritic zone lie the [[intertidal zone|intertidal]] (or eulittoral) and [[supralittoral zone|supralittoral]] zones;
+below it the [[continental slope]] begins, descending from the continental shelf to the [[abyssal plain]] and the [[pelagic zone]].
+Within the neritic, marine biologists also identify the following:{{citation-needed}}
+* The '''infralittoral zone''' is the [[algal]] dominated zone to maybe five metres below the low water mark.
+* The '''circalittoral zone''' is the region beyond the infralittoral, which is dominated by [[Sessility (limnology)|sessile]] animals such as [[oyster]]s.
+* The '''subtidal zone''' is sometimes{{citation-needed}} defined as the shallower region of the neritic zone close to the shore.{{clarify|date=January 2014|post-text=: vague definition}}
+<!-- Physical characteristics -->
+The neritic zone is permanently covered with generally well-[[Oxygenation (environmental)|oxygenated]] water, receives plenty of [[Ecology#Sunlight|sunlight]] and has low water [[ecology#Pressure|pressure]];
+moreover, it has relatively stable [[temperature]], pressure, light and [[salinity]] levels, making it suitable for [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic]] life.
+In particular, the [[benthic zone]] (shallow ocean floor) in the neritic is much more stable than in the intertidal zone.
+<!-- Life forms -->
+The above characteristics make the neritic zone the location of the majority of sea life:<ref>[http://www.onr.navy.mil/Focus/ocean/regions/bluewater1.htm Office of Naval Research]</ref>
+they result in high [[primary production]] by photosynthetic life such as [[phytoplankton]] and floating [[sargassum]];
+[[zooplankton]], free-floating creatures ranging from microscopic [[foraminiferans]] to small fish and [[shrimp]], feed on the phytoplankton (and one another);
+both [[trophic levels]] in turn form the base of the [[food chain]] (or, more properly, [[food web|web]]) that supports most of the world's great [[wild fisheries]].
+[[Coral]]s are also mostly found in the neritic zone, where they are more common than in the [[intertidal zone]] as they have less change to deal with.
+<!-- Definition (physical oceanography) -->
+In [[physical oceanography]], the '''sublittoral zone'''{{clarify|date=January 2014|pre-text=or “neritic”?|reason=do they also speak of the “neritic” zone?}} refers to coastal regions with significant [[tidal]] flows and [[energy]] [[dissipation]], including [[non-linear flow]]s<!-- Not recognised under [[Fluid dynamics#Types of fluid flow]] as a sort of flow: should be created (as a redirect if needed – is it turbulent?) or the link corrected here -->, [[internal wave]]s, [[river]] outflows and [[ocean front]]s.{{citation-needed}}
+As in marine biology, this zone typically extends to the edge of the [[continental shelf]].
 ==See also==