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Marine Zone What is the Marine Zone?    The marine ecosystem consists of four ecologically distinct life zones. The ocean floor slopes downward away from land masses. This gradual sloping region is called the continental shelf. After the continental shelf the ocean floor slopes down more abruptly. This steeply falling region is called the continental slope. At the bottom of the deep ocean is called the abyssal plain. The ocean is divided into four ecologically distinct life zones: the neritic, euphotic, bathyal and abyssal.    The neritic zone lies above the continental shelf. This zone varies in width depending on the size of the continental shelf but is generally around 10-200 miles away from dry land. The neritic zone contains relatively shallow water, thus receiving abundant sunlight. Sunlight in the neritic zone usually penetrates to the ocean floor and this sunlight supports large populations of algae and plant life that depend on the sun’s energy for photosynthesis. That algae and plant life in turn support many other species. The water in the neritic zone is generally warm and well oxygenated. Nutrients found in this zone come from streams and rivers that flow into the ocean. It is important that these streams and rivers are not sediment filled, stopping the nutrient transfer. The netiric zone is also supplied by upwelling. Upwelling is the transport of nutrient-rich water from the ocean floor to the surface. These nutrients are the basis of the food chain and support phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish.