Factors Influencing Productivity in Various Ocean Environments (Essay Sample)

Biological ProductivityNameInstitutionInstructorCourseDate
Introduction
Biological productivity for the aquatic systems and that for land has been categorized into primary and secondary productivities. The productivity of ecosystems and organisms constitute biological productivity. Primary productivity is the rate by which photosynthetic activities of the producer organisms store energy in organic substances form used as food substances while secondary productivity is the storage of energy at the trophic levels of the decomposers and consumers. This paper defines biological productivity, discusses productivity rates, factors influencing productivity in various ocean environments, and the difference of these environments in terms of productivity.
Biological Productivity
This is the rate at which organic matter quantity or the equivalent quantity in the dry matter, energy content or carbon that are accumulated over a given period of time. When scientist mention productivity as a rate, they usually use it in that context to mean the production rate or the rate of energy flow (Ivlev, 2010). Therefore, lots of emphasis should be made that productivity refers to rate of the energy flow or rate of production for easy and correct measurement of biological productivity.
Factors Influencing Productivity in Various Ocean Environments
There various environmental conditions that affect the biological productivity of organisms in the ocean environments ranging from the surface zone, the middle ocean environment and the deep ocean beds. These ocean environmental conditions differs from habitat to another and will either limit or increase biological productivity in ocean environments (Robinson & Brink, 2005). They are:
* Geographical variations
* Depth variations
* Seasonality
* Availability of light
* Salinity
* The pH
* Density
Geographical variations such as Equators, high latitude oceans, and along the coasts particularly the eastern margins have high chlorophyll concentration and therefore high biological productivity since chlorophyll speaks more directly to the photosynthesis rate. Phytoplankton have also been found to be abundance in these areas.
In addition, depth variation influences productivity in that, low latitudes oceans are described as nutrients limited environments and therefore, the productivity in those areas are very low. As one descends from the sunlight to deeper ocean floors, the nutrient concentration of the ocean water rise and the light drops off. Cross-over from the nutrient-poor sunlight and to dark and nutrient-rich stereotypically takes place at roughly 80 m depth and is defined by Deep Chlorophyll Maximum (DCM). These reduces biological productivity in the deeper waters.
Moreover, variation in the seasonality like high latitudes has high seasonality of productivity which are driven by the light availability. The daily duration and aerial intensity of sunlight are very higher in the summer, and therefore increases the rate of photosynthesis resulting to high productivity.
Additionally, Availability of light also have influence on ocean productivity. Light penetration from the surface of the ocean to the deep ocean beds depends and are limited to several factors such as the angle at which light rays strikes the ocean surface. Light rays that approach the ocean surface at lower angles are suddenly reflected back off the ocean surface and therefore do not and therefore not properly absorbed into the ocean waters resulting to low photosynthesis and finally low biological productivity.
Furthermore, Salinity of ocean environments also influences its productivity. Salinity is generally high in isolated water bodies since in these areas, the rate of precipitation is low and evaporation rates are high (Noone, Diaz & Sumaila, 2013). The salinity should be kept at a moderate l...