Aphotic zone

The aphotic zone (from Greek ἂ (ν) - a (n) 'un-' and φῶς phōs , Gen. φωτός phōtos ' light ') is the depth of the ocean into which no light penetrates due to scattering and absorption . Therefore, unlike in the euphotic zone , photosynthesis and thus no algae or plant growth is possible any more. In addition, in some of the animal species permanently living in the aphotic zone, the light sense organs are strongly or completely reduced, that is, they are blind, in contrast to the species that also reside in the euphotic or dysphotic zone . Other species have developed organs with which they can generate light themselves and thus communicate with their conspecifics or attract non-blind prey (see bioluminescence ). In the water body of the oceans, the aphotic zone takes up by far the largest area and is sometimes referred to as the deep sea , sometimes including the dysphotic zone .

Web links

• aphotic region. In: Spectrum Lexicon of Biology.