Diagram of Pelagic Zone

Definition of the Pelagic Zone

The Pelagic Zone is the water column that constitutes the vast oceans/lakes that are not in contact with the shores (littoral zone) or the bottom (benthic zone) and are far from the continental shelf....

What is Pelagic Zone?

The Pelagic zone also called the Oceanic Zone (for oceans) or the Limnetic Zone (for lakes and ponds), is part of the open water mass not associated with any landmass. It is the water column that constitutes the vast oceans and lakes that are not in contact with the shores (littoral zone) or the bottom (benthic zone) and are far from the continental shelf....

Diagram of Pelagic Zone

The labelled diagram of pelagenic zone with their sub zones are shown below:...

Sub-Zones of Pelagic Zone

The Pelagic zone can be divided into five sub-zones according to their depths. These are as follows:...

Flora of the Pelagic Zone

The pelagic zone of a water body is not connected to any landmass and thus there are no rooted plants present here. Any macroscopic plants cannot survive in the deeper layers of the pelagic zone due to the lack of sunlight and nutrients. Therefore, the flora of the Pelagic Zone is predominantly microscopic cyanobacteria and floating algae like phytoplanktons, diatoms, and dinoflagellates. These serve as primary food for smaller fishes and are important in the marine food web....

Pelagic Zone Animals

As the pelagic zone can be divided into layers that differ vastly in depth, availability of sunlight, nutrition, and pressure, the life it supports in each layer is also unique and shows various degrees of adaptations....

Human Impact and Conservation

Although the pelagic zone is far away from any landmass, it is not immune to human impact. Overfishing, pollution, climate changes, oil spills, coral bleaching, sea bed mining, and increased water tourism are known to negatively impact the pelagic zone and all the creatures that live in it....

Conclusion: Pelagic Zone

The Pelagic Zone, with its distinct layers, thus fosters a vast expanse of countless species from microscopic phytoplankton shaping the foundation of the food web to the elusive giants of the deep, like the mysterious giant squid. The Pelagic zone represents more than just a giant stretch of water as it is home to an unknown amount of organisms, some yet to be discovered, and thus holds the key to understanding life on our planet....

FAQ’s – Pelagic Zone

What do you mean by a Pelagic Animal?...