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 entire water column in marine ecosystems, regardless of depth. Plants and algae in the pelagic zone directly or indirectly support most of the ocean's animal life. Because plant growth is confined to the shallow depths of the pelagic zone reached by light (epipelagic zone, 0-650 ft/0-200 m), much of the biological activity in the pelagic zone is concentrated in near-surface waters. The pelagic zone is further subdivided by depth into the mesopelagic zone (650-3,280 ft/200-1000 m), bathypelagic zone (3,280-13,125 ft/1000-4000 m) and abyssopelagic zone (greater than 13,125 ft/4000 m), each zone inhabited by a distinctive fauna. These deeper fauna are nourished largely by organic matter (e.g. dead plankton, fecal material) settling from surface waters.
Littoral Zone; Neritic Zone; Photic Zone; Phytoplankton; Zooplankton