Their abundance makes the Humboldt Current one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, and supports the world’s largest fisheries and is the reason why some species of penguins can live on the equator.
Why is Humboldt Current important?
The Humboldt Current is
a highly productive ecosystem
. It is the most productive eastern boundary current system. … The system’s high productivity supports other important fishery resources as well as marine mammals (eared seals and cetaceans) and seabirds.
How does the Humboldt ocean current impact the western coast of South America?
The Humboldt Current is a cold water current that flows northward from Antarctica, along the western coast of South America. This current
creates an upwelling of nutrients along the coast
. These nutrients are responsible for creating a highly productive ecosystem that is rich in biodiversity.
How does Humboldt Current affect the climate of the nearby countries?
The Humboldt/Peru Current
The current has an
impacting cooling influence in the climates
of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and Peru. It is also responsible for the dryness of the costal areas of these three countries since the current cools the marine air which, in turn, causes little or no precipitation.
How does the Humboldt Current affect life in the Galapagos?
The impact of the Humboldt Current on seasons in Galapagos
This means
less sea water evaporates from the surface
; so fewer clouds are formed; decreasing the amount of rain that falls and making this the ‘dry season’.
Why is the Humboldt Current so cold?
Named after the naturalist Alexander Von Humboldt, the current is
driven by strong winds which displace the warm and nutrient poor surface water
, allowing the cold Antarctic waters to rise to the surface creating a phenomenon known as an upwelling.
In which ocean is the Humboldt Current?
Peru Current, also called Humboldt Current, cold-water current of
the southeast Pacific Ocean
, with a width of about 900 km (550 mi). Relatively slow and shallow, it transports only 350,000,000–700,000,000 cu ft (10,000,000–20,000,000 cu m) of water per second.
What happens during La Nina?
During La Niña events,
trade winds are even stronger than usual
, pushing more warm water toward Asia. Off the west coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. These cold waters in the Pacific push the jet stream northward.
Where does the Humboldt Current turn back out into the Pacific Ocean?
(201 km.) west from the coast of South America. As the current moves north through the coasts of Chile, Peru and Ecuador it splits into two masses where Cabo Blanco, Peru, meets the Gulf of Guyanquil. The main current turns west into the Pacific Ocean, while the remnant of the current moves along
the coast of Ecuador
.
Is Agulhas current warm or cold?
One of the fastest-flowing currents in any ocean, it reaches an estimated top speed of 5.8 miles (9.3 km) per hour off the southeast coast of South Africa. Because it is fed from lower latitudes, the Agulhas Current
is warm
, ranging in temperature from 57 to 79 °F (14 to 26 °C) at the surface.
How does California Current affect climate?
But the California Current has a big effect on
the climate of the West Coast
of the United States. Summer temperatures differ less from winter temperatures along the West Coast than they do inland. Usually, the climate along the West Coast is cooler than the climate of inland areas at the same latitude and elevation.
Is the California Current warm or cold?
The California Current is a
cold water
Pacific Ocean current that moves southward along the western coast of North America, beginning off southern British Columbia and ending off southern Baja California Sur.
How fast is the Humboldt Current?
About 20 percent of the world’s catches are extracted from the Humboldt Current. The surfacing of cold water and its equatorward flow
(at an average speed of 10 knots [11.5 miles, 18.5 kilometers) per hour
is caused by wind shear against the coast.
How many animals live in the Galapagos Islands?
Nearly 9,000 species
are found on the islands and their surrounding waters, many of them endemic.
Which current is the largest in all the world’s oceans?
The world’s largest ocean current,
the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
(21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward here and transports 130,000,000 m3 of water per second—100 times the flow of all the world’s rivers combined.
Are the Galapagos Islands Oceanic?
The Galapagos are a
group of volcanic islands
located on the equator roughly 1000 km (600 miles) west of the South American coast. Like many oceanic islands, such as Hawaii, the Azores, and Reunion, the Galapagos are thought to be the product of a mantle plume.
