Question

How do ocean currents and water masses differ in their impacts on marine life and coastal environment

Answer 1

Explanation:

Our planet is composed of 70 % of oceans and 30 % of land. Thus oceans have huge impact on life under it and also life of coastal regions. Their impact is also varied according to the location and movements of ocean water.

Impact of ocean currents:

It refers to the continuous, directed movement of sea water generated upon it by various forces.

· Desert formation- cold ocean currents inhibit rains and cause arid conditions creating deserts. Eg. Atacama desert of South America, Mojave desert of North America.

· Rains- warm ocean currents bring rain to the areas adjacent to it. Eg British type of climate is due to warm ocean currents.

· They are responsible for moderating effects they have on climate. Eg. North Atlantic Drift keeps England warmer for its latitude.

· Meeting places of cold and warm ocean currents encourage the growth of plankton and thus promote fish. World’s famous fishing grounds near Japan are due to the meeting of cold and warm ocean currents.

· Piling up of warm water near coasts may result in formation of tropical cyclones

Impact of water masses

· The presence of large water masses itself causes formation of air masses typical in its characteristics. Two air masses, maritime tropical and maritime polar create their own kind of weather conditions.

· Places where land and sea meet creates local winds called sea breeze and land breeze. While the former blows from sea to land due to temperature differential in the day and the latter blows from land to sea in the night.

Though the presence of water mass and ocean currents both impact coastal environments- ocean currents produce most dramatic and consistent impacts that touch the lives of people and animals than the water masses would have.

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