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epipelagic zone
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Diagram showing ocean zonation by depth and region, with labeled layers: littoral, sublittoral, bathyal, abyssal, and hadal along the seafloor, and epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, and abyssalpelagic in open water. The littoral zone is at the high-tide mark. Vertical scale marks photic and aphotic zones from surface to 10,000 meters.
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epipelagic zone

oceanography
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Diagram showing ocean zonation by depth and region, with labeled layers: littoral, sublittoral, bathyal, abyssal, and hadal along the seafloor, and epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, and abyssalpelagic in open water. The littoral zone is at the high-tide mark. Vertical scale marks photic and aphotic zones from surface to 10,000 meters.
ocean zonation Zonation of the ocean. Note that in the littoral zone the water is at the high-tide mark.

The epipelagic zone, also known as the photic zone, is the uppermost layer of the ocean that receives sunlight. This zone extends from the surface down to about 200 meters (656 feet). It is further divided into the euphotic zone, where sunlight is sufficient for photosynthesis, and the disphotic zone, where light is insufficient for photosynthesis.1

The epipelagic zone is crucial for marine life as it supports photosynthesis by phytoplankton, forming the base of many marine food chains. The availability of light, water depth, and proximity to land all influence the habitats and organisms found within this zone. Marine organisms are particularly abundant in the euphotic portion of the photic zone.123

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. photic zone
  2. marine ecosystem - Geography, oceanography, and topography
  3. marine ecosystem - Nekton

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