This week for STEAM we learned about the different ocean zones. I researched and created a labelled diagram of each zone. It had to include a description of the zone’s characteristics, pictures of the animals that live in each zone and a brief description of the zone. There are 5 different zones which include: the sunlight zone (epipelagic), the twilight zone (mesopelagic), the midnight zone (bathypelagic), the abyssal zone (abyssopelagic) and the hadal zone (trenches). 

 

Sea creatures home and sea layers

 

Sunlight Zone (Epipelagic):

• This is the top layer of the ocean where sunlight can penetrate, making it home to the most diverse group of sea creatures, like fish, sharks, dolphins, and sea turtles.
• This zone is the warmest and extends down to about 200 meters.
• Fun Fact: It’s the only zone where plants can grow, and phytoplankton thrive here, providing food for many animals.

Twilight Zone (Mesopelagic):

• This zone is between 200 meters and 1,000 meters deep and only receives a little bit of light.
• Creatures here, like bioluminescent fish, can create their own light to attract prey or mates.
• Fun Fact: Deep-sea creatures, like the lanternfish, glow in the dark, which helps them survive in the near-darkness of this zone.

Midnight Zone (Bathypelagic):

• No light reaches this zone, which is between 1,000 meters and 4,000 meters deep.
• Animals here, like the giant squid, have adapted to the dark with specialized features, such as large eyes and the ability to survive in extreme pressure.
• Fun Fact: The pressure in this zone is over 1,000 times greater than at the surface of the ocean.

Abyssal Zone (Abyssopelagic):

• The abyssal zone lies between 4,000 meters and 6,000 meters deep and is freezing cold.
• Organisms like the anglerfish and the abyssal Cusk eel live in this zone, adapting to live without light and at very cold temperatures.
• Fun Fact: The temperature in this zone is just above freezing, but the animals still thrive due to their unique adaptations.

Hadal Zone (Trenches):

• This is the deepest part of the ocean, from 6,000 meters to the ocean floor at the deepest trenches like the Mariana Trench.
• It’s home to creatures like the hadal amphipod and other hardy organisms that can withstand extreme pressure and temperatures.
• Fun Fact: Some parts of the hadal zone are so deep that they haven’t been explored yet by humans, so new creatures are still being discovered!