Mesopelagic zone Definition | Mesopelagic zone Animals & Pressure
Mesopelagic Zone
What is the Mesopelagic Zone?
The mesopelagic zone is found below the photic zone and above the benthic zone. It is the third major layer of water in the ocean and is found at a depth from 200 meters to 1000 meters. It is characterized by a clear change in climate and ecological conditions.
The zone contains little to no light, which is why humans cannot see down to the bottom. Many organisms thrive in the mesopelagic zone because of their unique features not found at other depths.
The zone is called mesopelagic because it is located between the brightly lit epipelagic and dimly lit bathypelagic zones. It is a zone where light does not penetrate, and colors are relatively monochromatic.
Little is known about life in this zone, which is difficult to reach because of the even deeper zone below. The Mesopelagic zone is characterized by very high levels of dissolved oxygen, low levels of light, and extreme pressure from the weight of water from above.
Mesopelagic Zone Light
The mesopelagic zone is found below the photic zone and above the benthic zone. It extends from 200 m to 1000 m, corresponding with a depth of 400-2000 meters. It is the oceans’ lower ecological zone, and its depth ranges from 656 to 3,281 meters-3,640 feet.
The Mesopelagic zone is where neither photosynthesis nor sunlight can reach. It is an ecological zone with many rare organisms that are not seen in other ecosystems.
The amount of light (in lux) that reaches an animal in the mesopelagic zone is dependent on depth and season. Light levels at depths below 200 m are sufficient for most small pelagic fish to be active, but the deeper a fish goes, the more intense light becomes limiting. As a result, many species tend to live at shallower depths. Moreover, some species only interact with their environment during nighttime periods due to low light levels.
Mesopelagic Zone Pressure
Mesopelagic zone pressure is the force exerted by water on a fish at depths of about 200 to 1000 meters below sea level. The pressure from the weight of the water becomes more intense as depth increases.
The Mesopelagic zone is characterized by very high levels of dissolved oxygen, low levels of light, and extreme pressure from the weight of water from above.
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Mesopelagic Zone Plants
Mesopelagic zone plants are typically tiny floating phytoplankton, like dinoflagellates. They are often quite different from their shallow-water relatives and can be quite abundant in some parts of the ocean. Such organisms live primarily at depths of around 200–1000 meters and are often called “mesopelagic algae” or just pelagic phytoplankton.
Mesopelagic Zone Animals & Fish
What animals live in the mesopelagic zone?
Mesopelagic zone zooplankton is small animals that drift with ocean currents. The majority of this food is eaten by bigger creatures; some zooplankton members can be caught in some fisheries.
Mesopelagic zone fish are usually tiny, for one reason or another. Notable examples include dragonfish, hagfishes, lanternfishes, and certain species of flatfish. They are often small enough to fit through a capillary tube and live in the ocean floor’s bottom few meters. Many other types of fish inhabit this zone as well.
The mesopelagic zone is often home to larval fish species, which have a hard time finding food. Smaller species, such as the triggerfish’s closely related female, can eat zooplankton that’s 1/10th their body size.
The mesopelagic zone is home to a large number of marine mammals; these include sperm whales (pictured above), dolphins, beaked whales, and other species.
The mesopelagic zone is home to a large number of tetrapods, which include many types of squid, cuttlefish and octopus.
The mesopelagic zone is sometimes called the “meso-bathypelagic” zone.
Mesopelagic Zone Depth
The mesopelagic zone is the second of three major zones in the ocean’s depth. It extends from 200 meters (660 ft) below the surface to 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) below the surface. It is also called the twilight zone or twilight depths.
The mesopelagic zone refers to the ocean depths in which there is little light. It extends from 200 m to 1000 m, corresponding with a depth of 400-2000 meters. This zone contains little to no light, which is why humans cannot see down to the bottom. Many organisms thrive in the mesopelagic zone because of their unique features not found at other depths.
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The mesopelagic zone is home to a large number of marine mammals; these include sperm whales, dolphins, beaked whales, and other species.
The mesopelagic zone is where most deep ocean animals live. The previously mentioned species of squid and octopus, as well as many fish, are found.
Mesopelagic zooplankton is small animals that drift with ocean currents. The majority of this food is eaten by bigger creatures; some zooplankton members can be caught in some fisheries.
Mesopelagic Zone Characteristics
The mesopelagic zone is characterized by a lack of light and abiotic factors such as pressure, temperature, oxygen levels, salinity, and nutrients concentration. These conditions allow for an ecosystem that is unique to the area.
Mesopelagic organisms found here are small in size, with few exceptions. Sperm whales and other large deep-sea mammals inhabit the mesopelagic zone, which feeds on small fish and squid. The mesopelagic zone is not a habitat for many animals, of which there are few creatures able to live at this depth.