Zone characteristics epipelagic sunlit zone: top layer of the ocean where sunlight penetrates mesopelagic twilight zone: a dim zone where some light penetrates, but not enough for photosynthesis bathypelagic midnight zone: the layer where no light penetrates abyssal zone pitch-black bottom layer; the water here is almost freezing and its pressure is immense hadal zone waters found in the ocean's deepest trenches although we think of land when we hear the word biome, there are also aquatic biomes. the abiotic factors that influence life forms vary with location within ocean systems. oceanographers divide the ocean into five broad vertical zones as seen in the chart above. compare the characteristics of the five zones. where would you expect to find the kelp forest, a type of algae, pictured here and why? a) algae live in the top two zones in the ocean because light penetrates both zones. b) algae can live in the three top zones. the abyss is too dark for the algae to survive. c) algae live only in the epipelagic zone because it is the only zone with enough light for photosynthesis. d) algae live throughout the five oceans zones because they are the producers that are the base of all food webs.