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Questions and Answers
What results from the Ekman Spiral in the Northern Hemisphere?
What results from the Ekman Spiral in the Northern Hemisphere?
What phenomenon describes the movement of nutrients to the surface near islands?
What phenomenon describes the movement of nutrients to the surface near islands?
At what depth will the current flow in the opposite direction to the wind in the Ekman Spiral?
At what depth will the current flow in the opposite direction to the wind in the Ekman Spiral?
What effect does the Ekman Spiral have on nutrient distribution in marine environments?
What effect does the Ekman Spiral have on nutrient distribution in marine environments?
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What characterizes brackish water environments?
What characterizes brackish water environments?
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What is the primary effect of Langmuir Frontal zones?
What is the primary effect of Langmuir Frontal zones?
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What is the primary characteristic of the aphotic layer of the ocean?
What is the primary characteristic of the aphotic layer of the ocean?
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Why are nutrients more abundant in the depths of the ocean?
Why are nutrients more abundant in the depths of the ocean?
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Which part of the ocean is referred to as the continental shelf?
Which part of the ocean is referred to as the continental shelf?
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What is the significance of the thermocline in the ocean?
What is the significance of the thermocline in the ocean?
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What phenomenon brings nutrient-rich water to the surface of the ocean?
What phenomenon brings nutrient-rich water to the surface of the ocean?
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How does salinity affect ocean water density?
How does salinity affect ocean water density?
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How do phytoplankton primarily obtain their nutrients?
How do phytoplankton primarily obtain their nutrients?
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What does oligotrophic mean in relation to marine environments?
What does oligotrophic mean in relation to marine environments?
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What is the primary characteristic of the aphotic zone in the ocean?
What is the primary characteristic of the aphotic zone in the ocean?
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What impact does eutrophication have on the distribution of nutrients in marine environments?
What impact does eutrophication have on the distribution of nutrients in marine environments?
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How does the benthic environment differ from the pelagic zone?
How does the benthic environment differ from the pelagic zone?
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What is the significance of the thermocline in oceanic water layers?
What is the significance of the thermocline in oceanic water layers?
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What is the role of the Ekman spiral in ocean currents?
What is the role of the Ekman spiral in ocean currents?
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Which statement best describes the relationship between marine pollution and local ecosystems?
Which statement best describes the relationship between marine pollution and local ecosystems?
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What effect does ocean acidification have on calcifying organisms?
What effect does ocean acidification have on calcifying organisms?
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How does climate change facilitate the spread of marine invasive species?
How does climate change facilitate the spread of marine invasive species?
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Study Notes
Geological, Physical & Biological Structure of the Ocean
- Subduction: An ocean floor passing below another.
- Average Ocean Depth: 4 km.
- Coriolis Effect: Wind deflects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Gulf Stream: A warm ocean current originating in the Gulf of Mexico, flowing towards the British Isles and NW Europe, influencing a warmer atmosphere.
- Ocean Water Density: Warm water takes up more volume than cold water, which contributes to ocean currents.
- Ocean Currents: Cold water sinking at the poles, pushing down and generating currents.
- Pacific Ocean: Large enough to hold all continents, with an average depth of 4,000m and a deepest point of 11,000m (Marianas Trench).
- Atlantic Ocean: Second largest, about a quarter of the ocean's surface area, with an average depth of 4,000m.
- Indian Ocean: Third largest, with an average depth of 4,000m, an equatorial zone, 2 tropical areas, and one polar region; strongly affected by monsoons.
- Arctic Ocean: Smallest and shallowest, covering 3.5% of the ocean's area, with an average depth of 1,000m; always cold.
- Southern Ocean: Surrounds Antarctica; 1,000m average depth.
Ocean Features - Page 2
- Sea Surface Temperature Increase: 1°C rise since pre-industrial times, with a projected increase of 2° to 6°C by the end of the century.
- Ocean Acidification: CO2 absorption by the ocean lowers its pH.
- Eutrophication: Excess nutrients cause overgrowth of plants, depleting oxygen and harming marine life.
- Marine Invasive Species: Climate change can create hospitable conditions for species previously not present in oceans.
- Ocean Structure: More biomass near the surface of the ocean due to productivity and light.
Ocean Environment - Page 3
- Pelagic Environment: Ocean water itself; light gradient, and layers based on light penetration (euphotic, disphotic and aphotic)
- Nutrient Gradient: Nutrients are more abundant in the deeper ocean because phytoplankton in the upper levels consume the most nutrients.
- Benthic Environment: Ocean bottom; Continental Shelf is shallower part and the abyss is the deep ocean bottom
- Density: Density differences affect water layering and currents (thermocline)
- Upwelling: Surface water being pushed away from the coast/deep cold nutrient water is brought to the surface.
- Global Primary Production: Measurement of productivity in different ocean regions.
Ocean Features - Page 4
- Oligotrophic Regions: Water with low nutrient levels.
- Mesoscale: Flow within the ocean with medium length.
- Eddies: Small whirlpools within the ocean, affecting the movement of warm water towards Europe.
- Ekman Spiral: The effect of wind on water; water movement 90 degrees to the right of the wind in the northern hemisphere and 90 degrees to the left in the southern hemisphere. Water deflects from the expected path.
Ocean Features - Page 5
- Ekman Spiral Depth: The further down, the more the water current deviates away from predicted wind direction.
- Water mixing: Density differences create barriers to mixing (temperature and salinity). Freshwater and saltwater cannot mix easily.
- Brackish Water: Water with salinity between freshwater and saltwater.
- Island Mass Effect: Wind interactions with islands influence where nutrience end up and increase productivity.
- Langmuir Frontal Zones: Wind patterns generate surface convergence of plankton, algae and pollution.
Ocean Features - Page 6
- Net Primary Productivity: Measure of carbon production per area (gC/m²/y) in the ocean.
- Primary production: Productivity in different ocean regions (Continental upwelling, shelf breaks, subarctic oceans, and anticyclonic gyres).
- Arctic Ocean Primary Productivity: Lower productivity due to ice cover.
- Global Primary Production and Zoogeography: Similar patterns.
Ocean Features - Page 7
- Food Webs (Not Chains): Autotrophs (produce their own food), heterotrophs (consume other organisms), primary consumers, secondary consumers and top predators. Close to shore where there is upwelling.
- Taxonomy Catch-up: Classifying organisms by feeding types; autotrophs, heterotrophs, plankton, nekton, benthos.
Ocean Biological Components - Page 8-9
- Autotrophs: Organisms that make their own food (photosynthesis). Examples include phytoplankton.
- Heterotrophs: Organisms that must consume other organisms for energy. Examples include zooplankton and nekton. Plankton: drift or passively move with currents. Nekton: Active swimmers(fish). Benthos: Seabed organism such as crabs.
- Phytoplankton: Autotrophic plankton; primary producers.
- Zooplankton: Heterotrophic plankton that consume phytoplankton.
- Nekton: Active swimming organisms (fish).
- Benthos: Organisms living on the seabed.
- Pelagic zone: Open water
- Benthic zone: Seabed
- Plankton classifications: Include Phytoplankton and Zooplankton, based on feeding style and active movement
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Description
Explore the fascinating aspects of the ocean's geological, physical, and biological structures. This quiz covers topics such as ocean currents, subduction, the Gulf Stream, and the depths of major oceans. Test your understanding of these critical oceanographic concepts!
