Dictionary

pelagic zone: Also known as the open-ocean zone, this is a section of oceans divided into sections that each create a number of sub-zones based on their different ecological characteristics.

photic zone: The depth of the water in a lake or an ocean that is exposed to sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to occur.

phycology: A subdiscipline of botany that is the scientific study of algae, the primary producers in aquatic ecosystems.

phytoplankton: The autotrophic component of plankton that often appears as a green discoloration of the water due to presence of chlorophyll within their cells.

plankton: Any drifting organism that inhabits the pelagic zone of oceans, seas or bodies of fresh water and that supplies much food to aquatic life.