Oceans

Ocean currents

- The global ocean conveyor belt is a constantly moving system of deep-ocean circulation
driven by temperature and salinity. Warmer surface currents can travel very quickly,
especially when driven by winds, whereas colder, dense deeper dueling currents travel
very slowly.
The great ocean conveyor moves water, which transports heat and nutrients around the
globe.

The ocean and the carbon cycle

Key terms:

■ Carbon Store/Sink - anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it
releases
■ Carbon Source - anything that releases carbon into the atmosphere
■ Carbon Sequestration - A natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is
removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form.
■ Ocean Acidification - reduction of the pH of the ocean over time, caused by increase
in uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
The ocean plays an important part in the carbon cycle. Overall, the ocean is called a carbon ‘sink’
because it takes up more carbon from the atmosphere than it gives up. Carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere dissolves in the surface waters of the ocean. Some of the carbon dioxide stays as
dissolved gas, but much of it gets turned into other things. Photosynthesis by tiny marine plants
(phytoplankton) in the sunlit surface waters turns the carbon into organic matter. Many organisms
use carbon to make calcium carbonate, a building material of shells and skeletons. Other chemical
processes create calcium carbonate in the water. The using up of carbon by biological and chemical
processes allows more carbon dioxide to enter the water from the atmosphere. Living things in the
ocean move carbon from the atmosphere into surface waters then down into the deeper ocean and
eventually into rocks. This action of organisms moving carbon in one direction is often called a
biological pump.

Carbon gets incorporated into marine organisms as organic matter or structural calcium carbonate.
When organisms die, their dead cells, shells and other parts sink into deep water. Decay releases
carbon dioxide into this deep water. Some material sinks right to the bottom, where it forms layers of
carbon-rich sediments. Over millions of years, chemical and physical processes may turn these
sediments into rocks. This part of the carbon cycle can lock up carbon for millions of years.

1. When does ocean acidification take place?

- Occurs when co2 dissolves in the ocean and chemically reacts with the sea water.

2. What is formed when CO2 is added to the ocean?

- Carbonic acid

3. What is then produced?

- bicarbonate

4. How is the pH of the ocean reduced?

- The hydrogen ions

5. What do corals and mollusks produce?

 - Strong sturdy structures- from calcium carbonate

6. What growth is slowed down?

- Carbonate ions bond easier with hydrogen, so the calcium loses out, meaning calcium
carbonate growth is slowed

Factors contributing to advancement or retreatment of a coast

Human:

- Global warming, rising sea levels, increases coastal erosion

- Presence of sea walls/coastal defences
- Construction of homes/infrastructure
- Dredging
- Importing sand
Physcial:

- Natural barriers (coral reefs + mangroves)

- Types of waves
- Beach width + slope
- Earthquakes + Tsunamis
- Lithology
-

Go through the slide show and make note of Eustatic and Isostatic processes, and
the landforms created.

- Changes in sea level can contribute to the formation of a raised beach through a
process known as marine regression. A raised beach is typically formed when
the sea level falls, exposing former coastal areas to the elements.

- Changes in sea level contribute to the formation of fjords through a process

known as glacial erosion and subsequent marine inundation. As glaciers
advance and retreat, they carve deep, U-shaped valleys into the underlying
bedrock through processes like abrasion and plucking. These valleys are often
wider and deeper than those formed by rivers.

- Changes in sea level can contribute to the formation of a relict cliff through a
process known as marine erosion followed by marine regression.Relict cliffs are
typically formed along coastlines where wave action and marine erosion have
shaped the landforms. Over long periods, the relentless force of waves crashing
against the coastline gradually wears away softer rock layers, creating coastal
cliffs.
Dunes form typically on large flat beach profiles with a large sediment supply to
the backshore. Dunes develop in a different way to other depositional features
because they are the result of the interaction between marine processes and the
atmosphere. In brief, dunes begin to form beyond the strandline of the beach
where dry sediment is transported by wind through saltation and suspension.
Beach litter and debris that collects on the storm beach acts as an obstacle to
saltation and sediment begins to build up. Over time, an embryo dune develops,
which may become vegetated by marram grasses. Vegetation stabilizes the
dunes in two ways. Firstly, the roots bind the sand together, and secondly the
above ground vegetation traps particles of sand as they are blown over the
surface. When dunes are less vegetated they remain unstable and so they
migrate.
 4a. Stabilization and Accumulation of Sand: Coastal vegetation, such as grasses,
shrubs, and dune plants like beach grasses, have root systems that help bind
sand particles together. These roots act as anchors, preventing the sand from
being easily blown away by wind or washed away by waves. As a result, the
presence of vegetation helps to stabilize sand dunes, allowing them to
accumulate and grow over time.

​ Trap and Accumulation of Sand: The structure of coastal vegetation can also trap
sand particles. As wind blows sand inland from the beach, it gets caught by the
stems and leaves of plants. Over time, this trapped sand builds up around the
base of the plants, contributing to the growth of the dunes. Additionally, as the
vegetation grows taller, it creates a barrier that reduces wind speed

In sand dune succession, yellow dunes and grey dunes represent different stages of
dune development, each characterized by distinct features:

​ Yellow Dunes:
● Yellow dunes are the earliest stage of sand dune development.
● They are characterized by their mobility, as the sand is constantly shifting
due to wind action.
● Vegetation cover in yellow dunes is sparse, consisting mainly of pioneer
plants adapted to harsh, sandy conditions, such as beach grasses and
sand binders.
● The sand in yellow dunes tends to be well-drained and nutrient-poor, with
little organic matter.
​
​ 4b. Grey Dunes:
● Grey dunes represent a more mature stage in sand dune succession.
● They are characterized by increased stability compared to yellow dunes,
with less movement of sand due to the development of more extensive
vegetation cover.
● Vegetation in grey dunes becomes more diverse and dense, consisting of
a wider variety of plant species, including shrubs and small trees.
● The presence of a more developed plant community contributes to the
accumulation of organic matter in the soil, enriching it with nutrients.