Ocean currents and coral reefs

The oceans’ ability to keep our globe warm is one way they influence the weather and climate on a global scale. For a large area around the equator and in tropical regions, the ocean behaves as an enormous solar array that absorbs most of the sun’s rays. In addition to absorbing part of the sun’s rays, the atmosphere also serves to keep heat from escaping into outer space following sundown. Ocean currents exert a major influence on weather patterns outside of Earth’s equatorial regions. 

A brief summary on Ocean Currents

A conveyor system of ocean currents moves warm water and precipitation from the equator to the poles, while returning cold water  from the poles to the equator. Since solar energy is unevenly distributed, ocean currents serve to balance out Earth’s temperature. Tropical regions like the equator would be scorching hot, while polar regions would be freezing cold without ocean currents to moderate things.

The ocean’s interface and murky water beneath 300 metres that’s where ocean currents are found (984 feet). Depending on the location, they may transport water horizontally or vertically. Ocean currents are driven by a complex network of forces, including wind, tides, rotation of the Earth (the Coriolis effect), sunlight (solar energy), and variations in water density. Also affecting ocean currents are changes in the structure and geometry of ocean basins and the landmasses that surround them. There are a number of factors at play here that have an impact on the ocean’s currents.

On a global and regional scale, surface ocean currents may develop, culminating in horizontal and vertical water flow that is primarily driven by the wind. Rip currents, longshore currents, and tidal currents all are short stories, localised horizontal flows. Lateral flow of water or blending occurs in upwelling currents, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the top and pushing warmer, less dense water lower, in which it crystallises then falls. In just this way, an upward and downward spiral is created. When the ocean surface currents and winds interact with one other, they have an impact on ocean and world climates in a variety of ways.

The Great Barrier Reef

On Australia’s northeast coast, the Great Barrier Reef offers a spectacular array of marine life and scenic splendour. There are more than 400 kinds of coral and 1,500 kinds of fish and 4,000 kinds of molluscs in the world’s biggest coral reef collection. It is also of significant scientific significance since it is the habitat of vulnerable species like the dugong (sea cow) and the giant green turtle.

The East Australian Current

The East Australian Current, that sweeps southward across Australia’s eastern seaboard, is showing signs of rising intensity and faster warmth. Heated seawater is being carried south by such a flow.

The Hiri Current

The Hiri Current, which travels northward all along the coastline of the northern Great Barrier Reef seas, is unknown. The whole marine food chain, from tiny creatures, reefs, and starfish, to predatory fish like sharks, may be impacted by variations in ocean circulation.

Migration movement of immature stages within and between coral reefs and other Great Barrier Reef ecosystems may be affected by changes in ocean circulation patterns. The open ocean food chain will be affected by changes in oceanic. They depend on minerals transported up out of the ground of the water by algae. When the water on the top heats, its density decreases, making it less likely to mix with the colder water below. As a result, less phytoplankton is produced since nutrients can’t get to the surface as easily. The food source for bigger species, such as fishes, seagulls, cetaceans, and mammals, is impacted as a result.

Equatorial Under Current’s take

When tides shift, new species of marine life may be more extensively dispersed or established itself elsewhere. According to current statistics, it’s accelerating. The intricacy of the climate system is shown in this example, which seems to defy common sense. Friction with the surface stream slows the EUC as it moves eastward down the “slope” of water. As a result of the weaker surface flow, the hill has sunk, yet friction has decreased, delaying its EUC considerably.

The EUC is accelerating up using a smaller slope vs the weak restraints, and this is due to the absence of brakes. Modifications with one prototype may have unanticipated effects on others. To better understand how the Pacific climate system reacts to current changes and how various parts of the system will react, many scientists, are stitching this image together right now. Scientists can anticipate whether the trade winds will continue to slow down and how that would affect the Pacific climate by studying how the EUC reacts to these alterations. As a result, coral conservation efforts may be better targeted by environmental managers. As ocean temperatures increase, reefs on islands like Jarvis may have an easier time thriving if they continue to get cold, nutrient-rich water from the EUC.

Conclusion

Since the 1980s, all main tropical ocean regions have had coral reef decreases of 30 to 50 percent, which is the worldwide average. Deforestation, pollution, overfishing and illness are a few of the causes of these declines, as are the effects of climate change and global warming. Coral, communicable diseases, and ocean acidification have all been linked to rising ocean temperatures and CO2 concentrations as a result of greenhouse gas emissions (OA). Reef health and preservation is critical for the hundreds of millions who depend on them for their food and livelihoods, for the hundreds of communities that rely on corals to protect them from the effects of waves, for those whose cultural practises are dependent on reef resources, and for the numerous economies that rely on fisheries and tourism on reefs.