Currents and the Effect They Have on Marine Life (Currents)

An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by forces acting upon by breaking waves, wind, the Coriolis effect, temperature and salinity differences. Currents have a huge impact on marine life in the ocean, for example the THC current makes the fishes migrate to different locations in order to track food. Also, they may migrate for the water temperature and mating. Currents play a huge role in marine productivity, through a process called upwelling. Sea life is concentrated in the sunlit waters near the surface, but most organic matter is far below, in deep waters and on the sea floor. The importance of upwelling to surface organisms is matched by the need of sea bottom life for downwelling, or the sinking of surface water. But for bottom dwellers, the sinking of water caused by density changes is especially noteworthy. Overall currents not only affect the earth's temperature and salinity levels, but it also greatly affects the marine life in the Earth's waters.