Question

The oceans' "biological pump" _________.

-is an area of downwelling in the far north Atlantic where carbon dioxide is carried down to the deep current system
- takes carbon from the photic zone and stores it in deep ocean water and seafloor sediments
- is the ocean's natural system for replenishing nutrients such as iron in the surface layer
- transports marine organisms worldwide by means of "conveyer belt" current circulation
- brings oxygen from the deep ocean through upwelling to the photic zone, where it is taken up by animals.

Answer 1

The ocean's' 'biological pump' functions to transport carbon from the surface waters to the deep ocean and seafloor sediments, effectively removing it from the atmosphere and aiding in climate regulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The oceans' "biological pump" takes carbon from the photic zone and stores it in deep ocean water and seafloor sediments. This process involves the sequestration of carbon dioxide by photosynthetic organisms in the ocean's surface waters. These organisms convert inorganic carbon into organic materials that eventually sink to the ocean floor when they die. The organic matter is stored for long periods, effectively removing carbon from the atmosphere and the upper ocean, which helps to regulate the Earth's climate. Nutrient cycling is also an essential component, as demonstrated by the ocean upwelling, which brings nutrients from the deep ocean to the surface waters, making them available for new biological productivity.

Ocean upwelling is crucial in this context as it supplies' nutrients to the photic zone. The constant movement of winds creates surface currents that cause deep, nutrient-rich waters to rise, as depicted in Figure 44.9 and Figure 35.9. This mechanism supports life in areas where nutrient levels would otherwise be too low to sustain large populations of photosynthetic organisms, which are the starting point of the marine food web.