Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Neritic zone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neritic zone spans from the low-tide line to the edge of the continental shelf in oceans. This region receives ample sunlight and extends to a depth of about 200 meters (656 feet), where the bottom is covered with seaweed. The neritic zone has a low water pressure and fairly stable temperature and is a home to most of the world's great fishing areas. Just as in freshwater biomes, the shallow water allows photosynthesis to occur. As a result, this zone is particularly rich in living things. Most of the photosynthetic life such as phytoplankton are found in this region. The neritic zone together with estuaries account for total productivity of sea. This zone is occupied by a large number of species viz., bacteria, dinoflagellates, oysters, etc.
The neritic zone is the continental shelf after the intertidal zone to the continental cliff, where the continental crust ends and the oceanic crust begins. The oceanic crust is much lower so it creates a "cliff". After the Neritic zone comes to the open ocean zone, also called the pelagic zone.