Geography: The Greatest Changes In Ocean Productivity

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1.) Off coastal regions show the greatest changes in ocean productivity. Regions in between 70°W 36°N and 55°W 36°N and in between 70°W 39°N and 55°W 39°N displayed the most changes in productivity. Specifically, I noticed that 73°W 36°N showed the most changes in productivity.
2.) The North Atlantic Ocean is most productive during the spring and early summer. According to the animation, the North Atlantic Ocean is most productive during March and April. This is most likely due to phytoplankton beginning to become exposed to more sunlight, which initiates heightened photosynthetic activity. The more phytoplankton there are in an area, the more productive the area is because there are more phytoplankton for consumers to feed off of.
3.) Productivity …show more content…

This influences the productivity, chlorophyll levels, and food chain in both of the areas. Productivity in the George’s Bank area is higher than that of the Sargasso Sea because it has higher chlorophyll levels. Since George’s Bank is a coastal region, it gains nutrients year round from upwellings and erosion. Upwellings bring cold, nutrient rich water towards the surface of the water while the erosion of the coast releases nutrients into the water. The George’s Bank area is not effected by seasonal changes; however, the Sargasso Sea’s productivity and chlorophyll levels are influenced by these changes. When the Gulf Stream brings warm water to the Sargasso Sea, the chlorophyll levels and productivity decline. The chlorophyll levels and productivity of an area affect the food chain. The higher the chlorophyll levels, the more phytoplankton there are in an area. Since there are more sources of food for consumers because of the greater phytoplankton population, there is more productivity. The food chain in the George’s Bank area is high in productivity because the chlorophyll levels are high, thus indicating a phytoplankton rich population. The Sargasso Sea’s food chain is low in productivity because the chlorophyll levels are low, which indicates that the population of phytoplankton is