Coastal upwelling

Coastal upwelling is the rise of cold, nutrient-rich water near a shoreline as surface water moves offshore. It replenishes surface nutrients and can support highly productive marine ecosystems.

Ekman transport: The net movement of surface water at an angle to the wind, caused by the balance of wind stress and Earth’s rotation. In many coastal systems, it moves surface water offshore and allows deeper water to rise.
Primary production: The creation of organic matter from inorganic substances, chiefly by photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Nutrients supplied by upwelling can increase phytoplankton growth near the surface.
Humboldt Current: A cold ocean current flowing northward along the western coast of South America. Its nutrient-rich waters support the major upwelling system off Peru and Chile.
Ocean acidification: The ongoing decrease in ocean pH as seawater absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Upwelled waters can carry naturally carbon-rich, low-pH water into coastal habitats.
Coriolis effect: The apparent deflection of moving objects caused by Earth’s rotation. It helps set the direction of wind-driven surface transport relative to the coast.
Marine food web: The network of feeding relationships among organisms in a marine ecosystem. Productive upwelling regions channel phytoplankton growth into larger populations of consumers.
California Current: A cool eastern boundary current flowing southward along western North America. Seasonal coastal upwelling makes its nearshore waters especially productive.
Marine heatwave: A prolonged period of unusually warm ocean temperatures in a particular region. Heatwaves can alter the temperature contrast and ecological effects associated with upwelling.
Alongshore wind: A wind whose direction runs parallel to a coastline. Its direction determines whether surface transport drives water offshore or toward shore.
Fisheries: The harvesting and management of wild or farmed aquatic organisms. Many productive fishing grounds depend on nutrient-rich waters brought upward by coastal circulation.

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