littoral: belonging to or found on or near the shore
intertidal: shoreline area between the high and low tide marks
continental shelf: that region of the continental land mass submerged under the ocean
continental slope: the descending drop-off from the continent to the ocean floor
abyssal plain: the bottom of the ocean; the ocean floor; ("abyss" means deep)
seamount: "sea mountain"; often refers to volcanic mountains formed from the abyssal plain
neritic: waters near the shore or coastline
pelagic: the main surface waters of the ocean
benthic: deep ocean waters
gyre: a very large circular flow of water in the ocean; (ring)
thermocline: a layer in a large body of water where the temperature makes a sharp change with a major change in the temperature gradient
halocline: a sharp change in salinity; ("halo" means salt)
plankton: small free floating/drifting aquatic life; vital for life
phytoplankton: photosynthetic (plant) plankton
zooplankton: animal plankton
nekton: swimming (mobile) aquatic life
upwelling: an oceanic process whereby prevailing winds force warm surface water away from coastlines, allowing cool, nutrient rich water to rise to the surface, thus increasing food supplies for aquatic life
wave: the moving swell of water caused by the energy of wind, tides, or currents
wave crest: top (highest point of wave)
wave trough: lowest point between two successive waves
wave height: vertical difference between crest & trough
wave length: horizontal difference between two crests
wave period: elapsed time between two passing crests
wave of oscillation: passage of energy through water without movement of the water; most common type of wave
wave of translation: a near-shore wave that "breaks" causing water to move forward
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