#Id: 6063
#Unit 10. Ecological Principles
The areas of the lake or pond bottom that are not part of the littoral zone are referred to as the benthic zone. This zone contains fine sediment that is free of plant life because light levels are too low to support plant growth. The major trophic levels in the pelagic zone, or open water areas, are phytoplankton, zooplankton, planktivorous (plankton-eating) fish, and piscivorous (fish-eating) fish. The food web in the pelagic zone is connected to the inshore food web because many mobile organisms from the pelagic zone (especially fish) use the inshore areas for shelter and food.
