neritic
Near-shore oceanic
Neritic describes the shallow waters of the ocean that lie over the continental shelf, typically extending from the low-tide line to depths of about 200 meters.
Marine biologists distinguish the neritic zone from the open ocean because it receives more sunlight and supports different ecosystems: neritic waters teem with fish and invertebrates, neritic plankton.
Submerged perimeter of landmass
- coastal watersSea areas near shores
- inshoreClose to the coast
- nearshoreClose to the coastline
- shoalShallow water hazard
seafloor · substrate · sandy bottom · mudflat · seabed · warm waters · ocean floor · brackish
Interconnected predator-prey relationships
- upwellingDeep water rising surfaceward
- detritusLoose waste from decay
- biomassLiving material in aggregate
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
eutrophication · algae bloom · anoxic · sedimentation · plankton · phytoplankton · zooplankton · diatoms
Calcium carbonate marine ecosystem
- polypsFixed aquatic invertebrates
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
- barrier reefOffshore coral formation
- atollRing-shaped reef island
soft coral · bleaching · calcium carbonate · cnidaria · anthozoa · parrotfish · clownfish · giant clam
Large brown marine algae
- seagrassSaltwater flowering plant
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- mollusksSoft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
bivalves · gastropods · cephalopods · echinoderms · sponges · anemones · starfish · urchins
continental shelf
Submerged perimeter of landmass
- coastal watersSea areas near shores
- inshoreClose to the coast
- nearshoreClose to the coastline
shoal · seafloor · substrate · sandy bottom · mudflat · seabed · warm waters · ocean floor · brackish · embayment
food web
Interconnected predator-prey relationships
- upwellingDeep water rising surfaceward
- detritusLoose waste from decay
- biomassLiving material in aggregate
photosynthesis · eutrophication · algae bloom · anoxic · sedimentation · plankton · phytoplankton · zooplankton · diatoms · productivity
coral reef
Calcium carbonate marine ecosystem
- polypsFixed aquatic invertebrates
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
- barrier reefOffshore coral formation
atoll · soft coral · bleaching · calcium carbonate · cnidaria · anthozoa · parrotfish · clownfish · giant clam
kelp
Large brown marine algae
- seagrassSaltwater flowering plant
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- mollusksSoft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
crustaceans · bivalves · gastropods · cephalopods · echinoderms · sponges · anemones · starfish · urchins · barnacles
shoreline
Land-water boundary
- littoralRelating to seashores
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
mangrove · saltmarsh · tidal · tidepools · beach · lagoon · sandbar · dunes · foreshore · strandline