Sea currents as ecosystem regulators

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introduction

Sea currents play a crucial role as regulators of global ecosystems. Not only do they serve as a means of transport for heat, nutrients and species, they also influence the climate and affect life in the sea and on land. Without them, the planet, as we know it, would be completely different.

What are sea currents

Sea currents are continuous movements of sea water, which are mainly caused by the winds and the temperature and saline differences of the water that are acting on the ground.

A distinction is made between surface currents, which only influence the upper 400 meters of the ocean, and deep currents, which take place below the surface. The best -known surface flow is the Gulf Stream, which leads warm water from the Caribbean to northwestern Europe. Depth currents, on the other hand, are slower and are driven by the density differences of cold and warm water as well as saline and less salty water.

The role of marine currents in global climate change

The sea currents are an important part of the global weather and climate system due to their ability to transport heat. Like a huge conveyor belt, the flow, which is known as a thermal jelly circulation, transports warm surface water from the tropics to the poles and cold deep water.

Thermohaler Circulation

The thermal jelly circulation is crucial for regulating the global climate. It is a systematic movement of sea currents in which the temperature (thermal) and the salinity (haline) of the sea water influence the density and thus the flow speed of the water. Cold and salt -rich water sinks in the polar regions and flows back to the equator on the bottom of the ocean basin, while heated up on the equator and therefore less dense water rises to the surface and is transported towards poles. This process is of crucial importance for the exchange of heat and carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere.

influencing weather and climate phenomena

The sea currents also have a significant impact on weather phenomena and the climate. A well-known example is the El Niño phenomenon, in which heating the surface water temperature in the Pacific causes extreme weather conditions in many parts of the world. If this happens, the normal wind patterns are disturbed and the average precipitation and temperature conditions are changed, often with harmful effects on agriculture, fishing and other human activity.

sea currents and marine biodiversity

In addition to the climate influence, sea currents also play a crucial role in maintaining marine biodiversity. They not only influence the spread and hike of plants and animals, but also transport nutrients and thus ensure a rich marine life.

spread of plankton

One of the most remarkable roles of the sea currents is to spread plankton, the base of the marine food chain. The phytoplankton, which depends on light, produces most of the oxygen on earth and is the main source of food for a variety of marine life, including the tiny zooplankton organisms, which in turn represent the food basis for a variety of other species. Without the currents that distribute this phytoplankton, life in the sea would be very different.

Transport of larvae and eggs

Sea currents also transport larvae and eggs of many types and thus enable their spread over long distances. This is crucial for biodiversity and balance of marine ecosystems. Some species are even dependent on certain flow patterns to get to their spawning sites.

conclusions

The sea currents are undoubtedly a key factor for maintaining life on earth, both in the ocean and on land. They regulate the climate, transport nutrients, influence biodiversity and serve many species as a means of transport. In addition, they do not provide human living beings important signals for reproductive and migration processes.

In view of the increasing global warming and changes in the marine flow patterns, understanding and protecting this mighty sea currents is of crucial importance. This means that they are not only essential for the preservation of marine habitats, but for the entire planetary system.

sources:

  • Rahmstorf, S. (2006). Thermaline Ocean Circulation. In: Encyclopedia of Quaternary Sciences, Edited by S. A. Elias. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 739-750.
  • Collin, A., and Mellin, C. (2016). Ocean Currents and Herbivorous Grazers. Scientists-national Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.
  • Malakoff, D. (1998). Death by Suffocation in the Gulf of Mexico. Science, 281 (5373), pp.36–39.