Oceanic deserts

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/oceanic-deserts

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Oceanic deserts?Vast expanses, collectively comparable to large continents, characterized by low primary productivity
2. What is the nutrient concentration?Extremely low levels of macronutrients (nitrate, phosphate) and micronutrients (iron)
3. What is the water clarity?High water clarity due to minimal suspended organic matter and phytoplankton
4. Why is the water in oceanic deserts so clear?Because there are very few phytoplankton and little organic matter floating around, the water stays very clear.
5. How do animals like tuna and sharks survive in oceanic deserts?They travel long distances to find small patches of food or follow prey that moves into richer areas. Some species have special ways to use the little nutrients that are there.

Oligotrophic: Describing an aquatic environment with low nutrient levels and consequently low biological productivity.
Biological Carbon Pump: The process by which marine organisms transfer carbon from the surface to the deep ocean.
Marine Debris: Any persistent man-made object that is found in the marine environment, such as plastics and fishing gear.