One globally important consequence of the horizontal ocean circulation and one globally important consequence of vertical circulation in the oceans?
For an example of the first effect, read "The Impact of the Gulf Stream Current" at
http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeography/a/gulfstream.htm
The current helps keep the climate of Ireland and Great Britain much milder than it would be otherwise.
For an important example of vertical circulation, read about the importance of nutrient distribution, phytoplankton and krill off the coast of Antarctica. Learn more about it at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_krill
One globally important consequence of horizontal ocean circulation is the redistribution of heat around the earth. To understand this consequence, we need to consider the major ocean currents and their effect on climate.
To find the answer, you can start by examining the major ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream, the Kuroshio Current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and the North Atlantic Drift. These currents are driven by global wind patterns, temperature differences, and the rotation of the Earth. They play a crucial role in redistributing heat from the equator to the poles and from the oceans to the atmosphere.
The Gulf Stream, for example, transports warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic, carrying heat energy towards higher latitudes. As a result, the western coastlines of Europe experience milder climates than areas at similar latitudes in other parts of the world. This is known as the North Atlantic Drift, which is an extension of the Gulf Stream.
Similarly, the Kuroshio Current transports warm water from the Philippines to the eastern coast of Japan, contributing to the relatively mild winters in Japan compared to other regions at the same latitude.
Overall, the horizontal ocean circulation plays a crucial role in maintaining global temperature patterns and influencing climate conditions in different regions.
Moving on, a globally important consequence of vertical circulation in the oceans is the transport of nutrients and the support of marine ecosystems. Vertical circulation involves the movement of water masses up and down within the ocean depths.
To understand this consequence, we can look at two mechanisms of vertical circulation: upwelling and downwelling. Upwelling occurs when deeper, nutrient-rich waters are brought up to the surface, while downwelling is the opposite, where surface water sinks down to deeper layers.
To find more examples, you can study upwelling areas like the eastern boundary currents, such as the California Current or the Benguela Current. In these regions, wind patterns cause surface waters to move away from the coast, allowing nutrient-rich deep waters to rise and replace them. This upwelling of nutrients fuels the growth of phytoplankton and supports the entire marine food chain, making these areas rich in fish and other marine organisms.
In contrast, the downwelling processes occur in regions where surface waters become dense, such as near the poles. As surface water cools and freezes, it releases salt, making it denser and causing it to sink, bringing nutrients down to deeper ocean layers. This downwelling contributes to the deep-sea circulation and the transport of oxygen to deep ocean zones, supporting diverse ecosystems.
Therefore, the vertical circulation of the oceans, through upwelling and downwelling, is vital for the productivity and health of marine ecosystems globally.