At temperate latitudes, a stable water column with a pycnocline near the surface will _______ primary production in the spring and ________ primary production in late summer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In temperate latitudes, the spring bloom is initiated by increased light availability due to longer days, higher sun angle, and reduced cloud cover. The pycnocline restrains upward nutrient fluxes in the summer and autumn, but prior to that, its breakdown allows nutrients to mix from deeper waters into the euphotic zone. This leads to an increase in primary production in late summer. Therefore, a stable water column with a pycnocline near the surface will increase primary production in the spring and decrease primary production in late summer.

At Temperate Latitudes, a Stable Water Column with a Pycnocline