Ocean and Marine Ecosystems

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What is the ocean

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A large body of salt water surrounding large land masses.

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Major Oceans

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The Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean.

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What is a marine ecosystem?

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Anything that is found in or made by the sea.

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What is the ocean floor?

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The bottom of the ocean.

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What does depth mean in the context of the ocean?

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The distance from the surface of the water to the ocean floor, which can be short (shallow) or long (deep).

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What is the continental shelf?

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The part of the ocean floor closest to land, sloping gradually away from the shore down to the continental slope, covered by shallow water.

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What is the continental slope?

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A steep slope between the continental shelf and the rest of the ocean floor.

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What is the continental rise?

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The transition area between the continental slope and the abyssal plain, where the ocean floor begins.

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What is the abyssal plain?

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A flat underwater plain considered the true ocean floor, covering about half of the Earth's surface.

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What is an ocean trench?

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A trench at the bottom of the ocean where two continental plates collide, reaching very high depths and being the least explored part of the ocean.