Marine Habitat

Saltwater or marine habitats are large expanses of water and consist of seas, oceans, and their shores. They are found in all of Earth’s Oceans and are the largest habitat in the world (70% of the Earth’s area).

Characteristics of a Marine Habitat:

1. Marine habitats have a high salinitySalinity is the dissolved salt content of a body of water called saline water. It is the measure of the number of grams of salts per kilogram of seawater, which is... More of 35-50 ppt (= parts per thousand), which remains relatively constant in the open oceans but can vary for inland waters (seas) which are affected by rainfall, evaporation, and river runoff.

2. Water near the ocean surface is usually warm with a temperature of about 38ºC, pressure increases with depth while temperature decreases. 

3. The availability of sunlight is largely dependent on water depth. Sunlight becomes less available as ocean water becomes deeper. 

4. The pH of marine habitat ranges from 7.4 to 8.5 and remains fairly constant

5. The marine habitat is home to an amazing array of different species, from large marine animals like the enormous blue whale to microscopic cyanobacteria.

Zones of a Marine Habitat:

The first major distinction is between the two main marine provinces the benthic and pelagic zones.

The benthic zone refers to the bottom, It starts at the shoreline and continues down until it reaches the ocean floor. Organisms living on and in the bottom are known as the benthos.

1. Benthic Zone (Horizontal Zone):

The benthic environment is divided into zones:

a. Splash Zone / Supratidal Zone / Supralittoral Zone: