The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
The portion of the marine ecosystem that overlies the world's continental shelves. This subdivision of the pelagic zone includes some of the ocean's most productive water. This productivity supports a food chain culminating in an abundance of commercially important fish and shellfish and is largely a consequence of abundant sunlight and nutrients. In the shallow water of the neritic zone, the entire water column may receive sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis. Nutrients are delivered to the area by terrestrial runoff and through resuspension from the bottom by waves and currents. Runoff and dumping of waste also deliver pollutants to the neritic zone, and this area is consequently among the ocean's most polluted.