Question

Explain the importance of various zones in a lake.

Answer 1

A lake is divided into zones based on depth, distance from shore and penetration of light.

Zones of a lake

Zone	Position	Importance
Littoral	Shallow area near shore	Supports rooted vegetation that photosynthesises
Limnetic	Open, well-lit water beyond littoral	Rich in phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish
Profundal	Deep, dark zone below limnetic	No photosynthesis; bacteria decompose dead debris