benthic+zone

Benthic Zone By: Chelsae, Alexis & Justin. Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, lays the [|Benthic Zone]. The Benthic Zone extends from the coastal ocean through the open ocean horizontally. Benthic meaning bottom or floor, in this case means the bottom or floor of the ocean. The benthic zone is home to many different creatures and dead [|organisms]. This zone begins at the end of the intertidal zone through the dark abyss of the deep ocean. In the Benthic Zone there are few different types of environments. This zone has the region just away from the [|intertidal zone] where creatures and life still live because sunlight and oxygen are able to reach this depth. The next environment slopes down either with a steep slope like the side of an ocean canyon or [|continental shelf] or it can slowly slope down into the [|deep dark abyss].

The Benthic zone is home to many different dead organisms. Once any organisms die they all float to the bottom of the ocean where the bottom feeders feast on their [|decaying bodies]. Many different animals live on the bottom of the ocean.

Benthos
[|Benthos] are organisms that live in the Benthic Zone. Benthos in the Benthic Zone can be broken down into two categories, they are the epifauna and the infauna. The epifauna live one the surface of the ocean floor and the infauna live within the the ocean floor, they do this by tunneling them selves into the ground.Some organisms that live in the Benthic zone are sea stars, [|anemones,]marine worms, and the [|sea cucumber]. [|Benthos] in the Benthic ecosystems depend on organisms from other zones for food. In the Bethic Zone, another source or food for theses creatures is called Marine Snow or Detritus. [|Detritus] or Marine Snow, are dead organisms that fall to the bottom of the ocean. It falls continuously making it look like it is snowing!



Hadal Zone Right above the Benthic Zone is the Hadal Zone. The Hadal Zone is the deepest parts of the ocean. It's classified as cold, dark, and having lots of pressure. In many spots in the sea the Benthic Zone, or ocean floor is classified with the same 3 characteristics. Many creatures that live in the Hadal Zone, live or feed in the Benthic Zone as well. These creatures just like benthos have adapted to their surroudings. Many create their own source of light so they can see, and depend on other senses besides their sight.

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Resources:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottom_feeder
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Pictures:
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 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benthos http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02arctic/background/benthos/media/brittle.html