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Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems built by millions of tiny coral animals that create colourful structures. They grow in warm, shallow, sunlit waters close to shorelines in tropical regions. These biodiversity hotspots support thousands of species in a complex food web, with different zones (reef flat, reef crest, and fore reef) each hosting specialised creatures. Though they cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, coral reefs support about 25% of all marine life.

Temperature: warm

Distance: near shore

Depth: shallow

The open ocean is a vast deep-water environment. This habitat spans all temperature ranges, is located far from shore, and contains multiple depth zones from the sunlit surface layer to depths miles from the surface where no light reaches and the pressures are huge. With no physical structures for refuge, animals have evolved remarkable adaptations: some are see-through to hide in plain sight, others make their own light, many swim up and down daily to find food, and most have streamlined bodies perfect for swimming in this enormous three-dimensional space.

Temperature: all (warm, mild, cold)

Distance: far from shore

Depth: deep

Seagrass meadows are underwater flowering plant communities (not seaweed or algae) that form dense beds in sheltered, shallow coastal waters. These plants grow in both mild and warm waters around the world, from tropical regions to temperate areas like the Mediterranean and UK coasts. Seagrass has true roots, stems, and leaves that create an underwater garden where many animals find food and shelter. These underwater meadows help keep the water clean, prevent beach erosion, and provide important homes for juvenile fish, seahorses, and feeding grounds for animals like wrasse and cuttlefish.

Temperature: mild and warm

Distance: near shore

Depth: shallow

Polar oceans surround the Earth's polar regions, characterised by seasonal sea ice and temperatures that can drop below freezing. These waters range from shallow seas to deep basins and can be coastal or far offshore. The extreme conditions have led to specialised adaptations like antifreeze proteins in fish blood and thick blubber in mammals. These surprisingly rich ecosystems, teeming with marine life despite the harsh conditions, experience periods of 24-hour daylight and darkness, creating unique seasonal feeding patterns where vast amounts of food become available during the summer months.

Temperature: cold

Distance: both near shore and far from shore

Depth: both shallow and deep

Sandy shores are ever-changing habitats where land meets sea, constantly shaped by waves and tides. This habitat exists worldwide, from warm tropical beaches to cooler shorelines in northern Europe and North America, and you can even find beaches in the Arctic! These shores are always at the immediate edge where water meets land. The shifting sands create challenges throughout the day as the tide moves in and out. Animals here have amazing adaptations to handle these changes - some burrow quickly into the sand for protection, others can survive being covered and uncovered by water twice daily, and many are experts at finding food in this always-moving environment.

Temperature: all (warm, mild, cold)

Distance: near shore

Depth: shallow