Peru Upwelling
The nutrient rich upwelled water stimulates the growth and reproduction of primary producers such as phytoplankton.
Peru upwelling. The principal upwelling regions of the world are along the eastern boundary of the subtropical ocean waters as for example the coastal region of peru and northwestern africa. A 25900 square kilometer 10000 square mile region off the west coast of peru for example undergoes continual coastal upwelling and is among the richest fishing grounds in the world. The peruvian upwelling system pus is among the most productive regions in the ocean with high rates of primary production and an intense oxygen minimum zone omz.
Lachkar and gruber 2012. It is the coastal upwelling driven by the peru california benguela somalia and canary currents that produce the most nutrient rich waters in the world. Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind driven motion of dense cooler and usually nutrient rich water from deep water towards the ocean surface replacing the warmer usually nutrient depleted surface water.
The upwelling shadow identified between 350s and 150s is caused by the oligotrophic subtropical gyre impinging on the coast. The main perturbation of this system is associated to el nino en which affects water mass distribution and reduces primary production. Oceanographic research papers 1010160967 06379490090 6 41 3 439 467 1994.
Results of continuous measurements of physical and chemical properties between 0 and 200 m depth deep sea research part i. Claire copin montegut patrick raimbault the peruvian upwelling near 150s in august 1986. Upwelling and downwelling also occur where the wind blows parallel to a coastline.
Along the coasts of these currents primary production can fix up to 1 g. The peru upwelling system also known as the northern humboldt current system is one of the most important coastal upwelling systems of the global ocean chavez and messie 2009. Upwelling brings abundant nutrients close to the surface and the beneficial effects of sunlight which allow for rich plankton growth make the waters off peru chile and ecuador one of the worlds greatest fishing grounds for anchovies and the larger fish eg tuna that feed upon them.
Upwelling generates some of the worlds most fertile ecosystems. For this reason there is higher productivity along coastal areas than the open ocean.