Limnetic zone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The limnetic zone is the well-lit, open surface waters in a lake, away from the shore. It is surrounded by the littoral zone and above the profundal zone.

It can be defined as the lighted surface waters in the area where the lake bottom is too deep and unlit to support rooted aquatic plants. This area is occupied by a variety of phytoplankton, consisting of algae and cyanobacteria, as well as zooplankton, small crustaceans, and fish. Most photosynthesis takes place in this part of the lake.

[edit] See also

• Littoral zone
• Profundal zone
• Benthic zone
• Lake stratification