Question

In temperate mid-latitude regions, a decrease in primary production occurs during the summer months primarily as a result of:

Question 3 options: a) warming ocean water b) an over abundance of sunlight c) a decrease of nutrients d) cooling ocean water e) a lack of sunlight

Answer 1

The decrease in primary production during the summer in temperate regions is c) due to a lack of nutrients, caused by stratification that prevents the mixing of nutrient-rich deep water with the surface.

Step-by-step explanation:

In temperate mid-latitude regions, a decrease in primary production during the summer months is primarily a result of a decrease of nutrients. This happens because higher temperatures in summer lead to increased stratification in bodies of water such as lakes and oceans. This stratification prevents nutrient-rich water from the depths from mixing with the surface water where most of the primary production occurs. As a result, despite there being plenty of sunlight, the lack of nutrients limits the growth of phytoplankton and other producers, causing a decrease in primary production.

In contrast, during the winter, nutrient levels are often replenished due to mixing caused by cooler temperatures and wind action, thereby supporting greater primary productivity in the spring.

Answer 2

In temperate mid-latitude regions, a decrease in primary production during the summer months is often attributed to c) a decrease of nutrients.

Step-by-step explanation:

In temperate mid-latitude regions, primary production decreases during the summer months mainly due to a decrease of nutrients, which is a result of the stratification of ocean waters that inhibits the upward mixing of nutrient-rich deep waters to the surface.Warmer ocean water can lead to stratification, which prevents the mixing of water layers, and as a result, nutrients from deeper water layers do not replenish the surface waters consumed by phytoplankton and other primary producers. This nutrient depletion inhibits the growth of these organisms despite the abundance of sunlight.

Conversely, during the winter months, cooler temperatures and turbulent conditions help mix the water column, which brings nutrients to the surface and supports primary production. Therefore, it is not the warming of ocean water, an overabundance of sunlight, cooling ocean waters, or a lack of sunlight that primarily drives the summer decrease in production, but rather the scarcity of essential nutrients needed for the growth of primary producers. Important biomes like the tropical wet forest display high primary productivity due to their warm temperatures, abundant water, and year-round growing season, unlike biomes with extreme conditions such as deserts and tundra.