Abiotic Factors Affecting The Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean out of the five oceans and stretches east of North and South America to west of Europe and Asia. Its climate consists of ocean currents, which are dependent on the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface and continents/landmasses nearby. Ocean currents transport heat energy within the biosphere, with surface ocean currents warming or cooling the air above them, affecting the land nearby. Surface water is affected by wind currents, while deep ocean water undergoes upwelling, which is caused by the density of water. Abiotic factors which influence the Atlantic Ocean include the light levels, temperature, salinity, density and water movement, and nutrients. The light levels and temperature of the water is dependent on sunlight. Sunlight is needed for photosynthesis to occur and for organisms’ vision (with exceptions). Since the ocean absorbs heat from the sun, which …show more content…
Nitrogen nutrients are also water-soluble which makes them a limiting factor as it dissolves quickly and therefore is not easily accessible to organisms. According to NewsRx editors,”The North Atlantic Ocean is considered a nitrogen (N) limited system once vernal stabilisation of the water column alleviates light limitation and allows phytoplankton growth to deplete surface nutrients to virtually undetectable levels. Ammonium and other regenerated N forms are then the main surface N source for phytoplankton production”(Life Science Weekly). Ammonium is produced during nitrogen fixation as the nitrogen is converted by prokaryote bacteria. Nitrites and nitrates are produced during nitrification when ammonium is converted in an oxygen rich environment. The ocean also absorbs nitrogen from the atmosphere. Nitrogen nutrients are also water-soluble which makes them a limiting factor as it dissolves quickly and therefore is not easily accessible to