Biological Function
The growth rate of phytoplankton is controlled by the nutrient concentration and the regeneration of nutrients in the sea is very important part of the interaction between higher and lower trophic levels. The separation due to the pycnocline formation prevents the supply of nutrients from the lower layer into the upper layer. Nutrient fluxes through the pycnocline are lower than at other surface layers.
Read more about this topic: Pycnocline
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