What is an ocean ecosystem?

Ocean ecosystems or marine ecosystems are made up of a community of living and nonliving things found in a localized area in any ocean. In an ecosystem, the plant life and animal life support one another and are each dependent on the other for the success of the ecosystem.

According to National Geographic, there are many ocean ecosystems, including the abyssal plain, polar regions, coral reefs, the deep ocean, mangroves, kelp forests, salt marshes and sandy shores, among others. The types of plants and animals found in each ecosystem are distinct and are suited for life in their respective ecosystems.