Thermoclines are boundaries between gradients of temperature and salinity. The Mixing Layer Depth is usually defined as the depth where it is 0.5°C cooler than the surface temperature, that accounts for changes in salinity [1]. When the mixed layer is shallower, is has more prey abundance, because the boundary layer nutrientsEnergy and nutrients are the same thing. Plants capture energy from the Sun and store it in chemicals, via the process of photosynthesis. The excess greenery and waste that plants create, contain chemicals that animals can eat, in order to build their own bodies and reproduce. When a chemical is used this way, we call it a nutrient. As we More are easier to reach.
Mixing layer depth varies from place to place and season to season. It has a profound impact on the distribution and abundance of marine vertebrates.
In the example below, the mixed layer depth deepens during El Niño, causing animals to gravitate towards coastlines and gets more shallow during La Niña, forcing animals to spread out.
- Monterey, G. and S. Levitus (1997). Seasonal Variability of Mixed Layer Depth for the World Ocean. NOAA Atlas NESDIS 14, U.S. Gov. Printing Office, Wash., D.C., 96 pp. 87 figs. (pdf, 13.0 MB).
