UNIT 3: Physical Oceanography

• latitudinal gradient

• depth gradient

• coastal to open water gradient

the imaginary lines that measure the distance north or south of the equator

• intensity of sunlight

• amount of daylight hours

• near the poles it is less intense than near the equator

• based on the latitude we're at and the season we're in

based on latitude and season

amount of light the ocean received

• time of day

• amount of cloud cover

• latitude

• season

• amount of suspended particles in the water (clay, sand, algae, phytoplankton, etc.)

the higher the turbidity, the less penetration the light will get

• reflects - hits a particle and reflects the light

• scatters - hits a particle and goes in a random angle

• absorbs - lights sucked in

all the colors together (ROYGBIV)

red has the longest wavelength, violet has the shortest wavelength

• the intensity of light decreases

• wavelength changes

• light

• temperature

• pressure

• amount of dissolved gas

• amount of dissolved nutrients

• surface mixing

amount of light the ocean receives changes

surface waters receive sunlight which warms and becomes less dense and floats on colder bottom water

warm water floats on cold water, between the two is: a zone of rapidly changing water temperature

for every 10 meters of depth, pressure increases 1 ATM

oxygen decreases with depth, carbon dioxide increases with depth

compounds need for the growth and development of an organism

• to get bigger

• gaining new physical and behavioral traits

• nitrates

• phosphates

• calcium

• magnesium

helps to make amino acids / proteins

help to make up phospholipids / cells / DNA / RNA

helps make bone, shells, coral skeletons

helps make chlorophyll

nutrients are low at the surface and build up with depth

• producers absorb nutrients from the environment in a process called uptake

• in the photic zone, they uptake nutrients reducing their overall abundance

• as organisms die, they are decomposed and release nutrients with sinks

wind causes waves and currents which mix the surface waters which extends above the thermocline in the photic zone (about 200 meters)

divided into 3 zones

• littoral zone

• pelagic zone

• neritic zone

• area between high tide and low tide

• characterized by extreme shallowness of water

• this change in depth of water causes extreme environmental conditions

ecosystem includes biotic and abiotic factors, environmental is just abiotic

• wet to dry

• large temperature change

• swings in salinity

• area above the continental shelf

• the area tends to be well lit

• temperature tends to be fairly stable

• the area tends to be well mixed

• the area over continental slope and the abyssal plain

• characterized by extreme depth of water

the movement of nutrient rich bottom water to the surface