photic zone
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of photic zone
First recorded in 1970–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Video footage collected by remotely operated submersibles revealed that microbial mats can form even in parts of the ocean far below the photic zone, the sunlit upper layer where photosynthesis occurs.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
Footage from remotely operated submersibles exploring seafloors far below the photic zone revealed that microbial mats can develop there as well, but they are produced by chemosynthetic bacteria.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 8, 2026
The region starts about 1,000 feet down — just beneath the photic zone, which gets enough sunlight to support photosynthesis and most of the sea’s plants — and descends for miles.
From New York Times ● May 30, 2024
Light can penetrate within the photic zone of the lake or pond.
From Textbooks ● Sep. 6, 2018
As a result of that photosynthesis, the photic zone is oxygenated, and therefore suitable for animal life.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
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