What zone is defined as the ocean bottom?

• A. Benthic Zone
• B. Neritic Zone
• C. Epipelagic Zone
• D. Oceanic Zone

Answer: (A)

The bottom of the ocean is defined by the benthic zone, which includes the seabed itself and the communities that live on or in the sediment. This contrasts with other zones that describe where water is and how much light penetrates: the neritic zone covers the shallow waters over the continental shelf, the epipelagic zone is the sunlit surface layer down to about 200 meters, and the oceanic zone refers to the open-ocean waters beyond the continental shelf. Organisms in the benthic zone include those living on the surface of the seabed (epibenthos) and those living within the sediment (infauna).