Understanding the Ocean and its Processes

The bottom of an ocean, lake or pond, where little or no sunlight reaches. Benthic zone. The benthic zone is the dark area at the bottom of a body of water where plants can't photosynthesize due to lack of sunlight.

A water having more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. Brackish. Brackish water is a mix of freshwater and saltwater, often found where rivers meet the sea.

A shrubs or small trees that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. Mangroves. Mangroves are unique trees that thrive in salty coastal environments and help protect shorelines from erosion.