Question

A thermocline is a layer of water at the ocean surface that prevents the upwelling and mixing of cool nutrient-rich water to ocean surface waters, reducing the production of primary plankton (food) for marine life. What is the best description of thermoclines based on latitude?a. Polar regions have well-developed thermoclines in winter months.b. Temperate regions have strong thermoclines in the winter months.c. Tropical region have no thermocline in winter months.d. Temperate regions have weak thermoclines (moderate in summer, less in winter).

Answer 1

d. Temperate regions have weak thermoclines (moderate in summer, less in winter)

Step-by-step explanation:

The theromoclines and how strong they are are crucial for the movement and exchange of nutrients between the surface waters and the deeper waters. The nutrients are mostly found in the deeper and colder waters, so they only reach the surface and shallower waters when the thermoclines are weaker. With the movement of the nutrients toward the surface waters, they provide nutrition for the marine organisms, resulting in much larger populations and much more species to be present. The temperate regions are the ones where the theromoclines start to become weaker because the waters become cooler, especially in the winter when the temperatures are much lower and the waters become colder as well.