Subject: Geology

Institute: Science
Class: B.Sc. Semester IV
Paper: GLB401: PALEONTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY
Topic: BATHYMETRIC DISTRIBUTION OF ORGANISMS

Dr. Dinesh Kumar Naik

Assistant Professor
Department of Geology
Institute of Science
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi 221 005
Email: dnaik.geo@bhu.ac.in
 BATHYMETRIC DISTRIBUTION OF ORGANISMS

Bathymetric distribution means the vertical range of organisms in space, i.e.

from the high Alpine peak to the abyssal depth of the sea.

It mainly concerns with the distribution of marine organisms in oceans and seas.

A two fold classification may be applied to include all types of life inhabiting in
oceans and their borders. (Benthic and Pelagic)

1. Benthic: living in or on the bottom of shallow or deep sea/ocean.

a. Sessile – fastened in fixed position to the sea/ocean bottom.

b. Vagrant or vagile (wandering) – capable of moving on sea/ocean floor.

Peterson (1918) identified two types of benthic forms:

a. Infaunal – buried and living within the sediments.
b. Epifaunal – living on sea floor.
2. Pelagic: inhabiting open water of sea, lake etc. which move
freely through the water or at its surface.

a. Planktons: no locomotory organs, floating in the water at

the mercy of currents
b. Nektons: swimming organisms.

The bathymetric distributions of organisms are directly related

to the different kinds of marine environments. The distribution
depends upon their responses to currents.
 Kinds of marine environments

The marine environments can broadly subdivided into two types:

(A) Benthic (Bottom) environment:
(B) Pelagic or Nectoplanktonic (open water) environment
A. Benthonic environment: According to the depth of water in which
the organisms live can be grouped into the following zones:

Littoral Zone or Intertidal Zone or Strand Zone: Occurs between low tide and
high tide limits. It is a transitional area between marine and terrestrial
environments. The organisms inhabiting in this zone are able to breathe
both in air and in water.
Neritic Zone: From low tide mark to a depth of 200 meters. It usually coincides
with the outer edge/margin of the continental shelf. It marks the lower limit
of effective penetration of light (photic Zone) and very rich in different types
of organisms.
It may be divided into Inner Neritic (upto 50 m depth) and Outer Neritic (50 –
200 m depth)
Bathyal Zone: The continental slope, ranging in depth from 200 m to 2000 m.
Due to absence of light, variable temperature and frequent and violent
wave action, bottom life is much reduced or rare.
Abyssal Zone: Deep Ocean bottoms, below 2000 m depth. No benthic forms.
Hadal Zone or Trench: Much deeper below Abyssal Zone.
Physiography of Continental Margin
 B. Pelagic or Nectoplanktonic environment:
Swimming and floating organisms are relatively much less clearly/sharply
divided in comparison to the Benthonic environment. It may be organized into
two major categories:
1. Surface or near surface organisms
of the oceans and their borders:
•Oceanopelagic: surface/near
surface part of the open Ocean.
•Neritopelagic: Shallow water above
the continental shelf areas.

2. Deep water: It includes:

•Bathypelagic: between depth of
200 m to 2000 m.
•Abyssopelagic: below 2000 m
depth.
 B. Pelagic or Nectoplanktonic environment:
The Pelagic or open ocean has been divided in to many zones based on their
depth of water column.

1. Epipelagic: Photic
Zone i.e. upper 200m
of water column
2. Mesopelagic: from
200 to 1000m depth
of water column
3. Bathypelagic: from
1000 to 4000m depth
of water column
4. Abyssalpelagic: from
4000 to 6000m depth
of water column
5. Hadalpelagic: below
6000m depth of
water column