Continental Shelf Richest part of the ocean, with the world's most important fishing grounds –Extends from the subtidal to the shelf break, the outer edge.

Continental Shelf• Richest part of the ocean, with the

world's most important fishing grounds

– Extends from the subtidal to the shelf break, the outer edge of the continental shelf where depths drastically increase

– The average depth is around 150 m– Varies in width from less than 1 km to

over 750 km.

Important characteristics to organisms

• Relatively shallow– Temps vary more here than in the deeper ocean– Affected by waves, currents and storms

• Tides can cause particularly strong tidal currents• Wind waves can affect to 200m• Turbulence prevents stratification• Therefore more productive than the open ocean

• Close to land– Rivers discharge into this zone of the ocean,

bringing nutrients, phytoplankton and sediment• These combine to make the water murkier than farther

offshore. Murkier water means light doesn't penetrate as deeply, reducing the euphotic zone depth.

Figure 13.05

Soft-Bottom Organisms

Figure 13.10

Meiofauna

Deposit and Suspension Feeders

Seagrass Ecosystems

Figure 13.17

Global Kelp Distribution

Kelp Life Cycle

Kelp Communities

Figure 13.26