Continental shelf

The submerged, gently sloping edge of a continent extending from the shoreline to the continental slope. It is usually shallower than the adjacent continental slope and varies greatly in width.

Continental slope: The steep descent from the outer edge of a continental shelf toward the deep ocean floor. It marks the seaward boundary of the shelf.
Eustatic sea level: The globally averaged sea level, changing mainly with ocean-water volume and the capacity of ocean basins. Its shifts expose or submerge broad areas of shelf.
Exclusive economic zone: A maritime zone in which a coastal state has specified rights over natural resources, extending up to 200 nautical miles under international law. Shelf waters often lie within zones where states manage marine resources.
Siberian Shelf: The broad continental shelf along the Arctic coast of Siberia. Its exceptional width illustrates how far a shallow shelf can extend.
Continental rise: A gently sloping accumulation of sediment at the base of many continental slopes. It commonly lies beyond the slope that borders a shelf.
Glacial eustasy: Global sea-level change caused by water stored in or released from continental ice sheets. Ice-age sea-level falls exposed many continental shelves.
Demersal fish: Fish that live and feed on or near the seafloor. Many demersal species inhabit shelf habitats and support fisheries.
Grand Banks: A shallow continental shelf area southeast of Newfoundland in the northwest Atlantic. Its shallow waters became a renowned fishing ground.
Abyssal plain: A broad, nearly level region of the deep ocean floor, often covered by fine sediment. It is one of the deep-sea regions beyond the shelf and continental margin.
Sediment transport: The movement of sediment by water, wind, ice, or gravity. It redistributes material across shelves and can build or reshape them.

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