Final answer:
Upwelling is a process where winds cause nutrient-rich deep waters to rise, supporting marine life by providing essential nutrients for photosynthesis, increasing the productivity and biodiversity of the ecosystem, and contributing to global oxygen production.
Step-by-step explanation:
Upwelling is the process where deep, nutrient-rich waters rise to the surface, typically due to wind driving surface waters away from a coastline, allowing deeper waters to upwell. This is significant for marine ecosystems because it recycles nutrients that were previously unavailable, and trapped at ocean depths. These nutrients are essential for the growth of phytoplankton, which forms the base of the oceanic food web and contributes to global oxygen production through photosynthesis.
The nutrients brought to the surface during upwelling become available for photosynthetic organisms, like phytoplankton. Increased phytoplankton growth supports a higher biomass of zooplankton and other marine animals, enhancing the overall productivity and biodiversity of the ecosystem. This makes upwelling zones some of the most ecologically rich and biologically productive areas in the ocean. Ecological benefits also include supporting important fisheries, sustaining many ocean species, and impacting global climate regulation.