Why is primary productivity low in tropical regions?

Why is primary productivity low in tropical regions?

In tropical regions sunlight is plentiful throughout the year, so light is not a limiting factor. Thus productivity in tropical water is always nutrient-limited, and productivity is low throughout the year (Figure 7.4. 2).

Why do most areas of tropical regions have low primary productivity quizlet?

Biological productivity is low in tropical regions because the strong thermocline prevents the mixing of waters and movement of nutrients. Temperate regions have much higher productivity levels, but the productivity is not constant year round.

Why do tropical oceans have low productivity?

In surface waters away from coastlines, generally there is plenty of sun but not enough nutrients. So most of the ocean surface is not very productive. The water is too deep for storms to stir up nutrients from the bottom and there isn’t upwelling.

Why is primary productivity so low in tropical and subtropical regions?

The overall pattern with latitude is clearly visible: low productivity in the tropics and subtropics, probably due to nutrient limitation brought about by strong, year-round thermocline and pycnocline.

Why do coastal regions tend to have more primary productivity?

Why does coastal upwelling lead to high biological productivity? It provides a current for fish to move up in the water column to devour the phytoplankton on the surface. It brings warm, nutrient-rich water to the surface, where phytoplankton reside.

Where is primary productivity in the ocean the greatest Why?

Higher chlorophyll concentrations and in general higher productivity are observed on the equator, along the coasts (especially eastern margins), and in the high latitude ocean (Figure 4a and b).

Why is productivity low in tropical regions Why is productivity low in tropical regions?

In tropical regions, productivity is low year-round and is limited by nutrients. In middle latitude regions, productivity peaks in the spring and fall and is limited by a lack of solar radiation in the winter and a lack of nutrients in the summer.

Which ecosystem has the lowest average primary productivity?

The highest net primary productivity in terrestrial environments occurs in swamps and marshes and tropical rainforests; the lowest occurs in deserts.

Why is primary productivity higher in tropical regions?

In Tropical Rainforests, water, sunlight, and high temperatures are consistent and a dense concentration of plants is present, causing both the GPP and NPP to be very high. So, high levels of productivity increase biomass.

Why is primary productivity of the open ocean lower than that of most terrestrial ecosystems?

° Estuaries and coral reefs also are very productive, but they cover only a small area compared to that covered by tropical rain forests. ° The open ocean has a relatively low production per unit area but contributes more net primary production than any other single ecosystem because of its very large size.

Why are coastal areas more productive?

Another well-known mechanism for coastal productivity is river outflow. Natural and manmade nutrients—principally nitrates and phosphates—run off the land and fertilize marine plants. These nutrient-rich, oxygen-poor waters become dead zones, driving animals to migrate or die.

Which region of the ocean is most likely to be the most productive?

Although they occupy just fewer than two percent of the surface of the oceans, the large coastal upwelling areas on the eastern edges of the Pacific and the Atlantic are among the most biologically productive marine areas of all.