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- from the surface to a depth of 200m and is divided into neritic waters (lie over continental shelf) and oceanic waters beyond the shelf; similar to the photic zone

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-water resistance (don't sink)
-increased buoyancy
-floater/swim bladders

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Epipelagic ProducersProducers = Phytoplankton
Epipelagic Consumers
-Primary (1st degree) Consumers = Herbivorous Zooplankton and Small Fish
-Secondary (2nd degree) Consumers = Carnivorous Zooplankton and Small Fish
-Tertiary (3rd degree) Consumers = Large Carnivorous Zooplankton, Squid and Fish
-Quartenary (4th degree) and Higher Level Consumers = Large Fish and Squid
Pinnipeds Eat zooplankton, fish, squid and penguins
Whales Toothed Whales eat fish, squid, penguins and other marine mammalsBaleen Whales eat zooplankton and fish
Seabirds Fish are important in the diet but are not the only food
15% of species feed principally on zooplankton, 66% of species feed on zooplankton occasionally, 6% of species feed exclusively on squid, 28% of species feed on squid occasionally

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FOOD WEB:

1. Photosynthesis based food webs

2. Phytoplankton and zooplankton

3. About 75 percent of food produced in the epipelagic zone is consumed there

4. Nekton of surface marine mammals, sea turtles, fishes, and squid

5. Sardines, anchovies, and herrings are important planktivores

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1) phytoplankton= main primary producers of the epipelagic
2) herbivores (some are carnivores) and eat phytoplankton
3) picoplankton and too small to be caught and larger plankton are net plankton (subdivisions= micromeso-, macro-, and megaplankton)
4) meroplankton= larval stages of invertebrates (fish spend a part of their life in this stage)

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The epipelagic zone only represents 2-3% of the entire ocean, beyond this, light is too dim for photosynthesis to occur. In fact, in all the world’s oceans, 65% of the plankton are in the top 500 meters.

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- sunlight
- dissolved gasses
- minerals
-temperature

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- low temp: most marine organisms are ectothermic
- salt concentration: organisms use diffusion, osmosis, and active transport to balance salt intake

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Examples:

Divided fishing grounds among different

countries

Sharks-want to avoid conflict

- sometimes feed on other resources in the presence of another predetor or forage elsewhere

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1) epipelagic animals have well developed sensory organs: vision, lateral line, hearing, and echolocation
2) countershading and camo
3) speed

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• Intensity and availability

of sunlight for producers
• pH

Temperature

Salinity

Disolved nutrients

Depth

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The "microbial loop" is the flow of energy through phytoplankton, dissolved organic matter, bacteria, protozoans, and zooplankton

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- surface of waters= poor in nutrients and phytoplankton growth is nutrient limited

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Due to the fact that there is no bottom layer, there is a lack of sediments. Without these rich sediments, there are no deposit feeders. Instead, suspension feeders eat the food that is floating in the water

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The meaning behind epipelagic is "upon the sea". This zone is called the sunlight zone because this is the part of the ocean that receives the most visible light (where photosynthesis occurs). The majority of plant and animal life lives in this region because it gets the most sunlight.

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The meaning behind epipelagic is "upon the sea". This zone is called the sunlight zone because this is the part of the ocean that receives the most visible light (where photosynthesis occurs). The majority of plant and animal life lives in this region because it gets the most sunlight.

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Abiotic components include dissolved gases, etc. The epipelagic zone is the only zone to support plant life

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Abiotic components include dissolved gases, etc. The epipelagic zone is the only zone to support plant life