Ocean Floor Levels

Most of the animals that live at these depths are black or red in color due to the lack of light.

Ocean floor levels. Continental shelf 300 feet continental slope 300 10 000 feet abyssal plain 10 000 feet abyssal hill 3 000 feet up from the abyssal plain seamount 6 000 feet. The following features are shown at example depths to scale though each feature has a considerable range at which it may occur. The deep layers have unique sea creatures freezing temperatures and high pressure.

Panthalassa was an early form of the pacific ocean which today experiences less seafloor spreading and has a much less extensive mid ocean ridge system. For instance a mid ocean ridge system in panthalassa an ancient ocean that surrounded the supercontinent pangaea contributed to shallower oceans and higher sea levels in the paleozoic era. This graphic shows several ocean floor features on a scale from 0 35 000 feet below sea level.

Hadalpelagic zone the trenches. Sperm whales can dive down to this level in search of food. The ocean basins are characterized not only by lying in deep water the ocean floor averages about 4km below sea level but also by being underlain by a thin layer of crust.

The ocean floor may be more exciting to explore than any mountain above sea level. Three quarters of the ocean floor lies within this zone. Read this lesson to learn about what you ll see on the ocean floor from abysses and slopes to hydrothermal vent.

Below is a summary of the ocean s 5 layers. With the advancement in technology scientists are hopeful that the oceanic depths will be explored thoroughly.