As highlighted in light green, the neritic zone coincides with the relative shallows of the continental shelves
| Marine habitats |
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| Coastal habitats |
| Ocean surface |
| Open ocean |
| Sea floor |
The neritic zone (or sublittoral zone) is the relatively shallow part of the ocean above the drop-off of the continental shelf, approximately 200 meters (660 ft) in depth.[1][2] From the point of view of marine biology it forms a relatively stable and well-illuminated environment for marine life, from plankton up to large fish and corals, while physical oceanography sees it as where the oceanic system interacts with the coast.
- ^ anon. (n.d). Ocean Regions: Blue Water – Characteristics. Available: "Ocean Regions: Blue Water - Characteristics". Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2012.. Last accessed 15 May 2014.
- ^ Rizk, F. (n.d). MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY. Available: "Primary Productivity". Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.. Last accessed 15 May 2014.