Marine Habitats
By Jennifer Kennedy, About.com Guide to Marine Life
About 70% of our planet is covered with water. Earth has been nicknamed “the blue planet” because it looks blue from space. About 96% of this water is marine, or salt water, made up of the oceans covering the Earth. Within these oceans, there are many different types of habitat, or environments in which plants and animals live, ranging from freezing polar ice to tropical coral reefs.
Coral Reefs
While tropical reefs are more well-known, cold water coral reefs exist, too. Learn about coral reefs, how they form and why they are important.
Intertidal Zone
The intertidal zone is where land meets sea. It is a challenging environment in which to live, but many species thrive here.
Mangroves
The term “mangrove” refers to a habitat comprised of a number of halophytic (salt-tolerant) plant species, of which there are more than 12 families and 50 species worldwide. Mangroves grow in intertidal or estuarine areas.
Deep Sea
The deep sea includes the deepest, darkest, coldest parts of the ocean. Eighty percent of the ocean consists of waters greater than 1,000 meters in depth.
Hydrothermal Vents
Hydrothermal vents, located in the deep sea, were discovered relatively recently. It was only about 30 years ago that scientists in the submersible Alvin discovered these undersea "geysers."
