Large inputs of nitrogen and phosphorous from land make coastal waters the most biologically active region of the ocean. Most of these nutrients come from human activities. Areas with excess nutrients are known as EUTROPHIC regions (based on the Greek for "to nourish"). Large amounts of phytoplankton growth in these areas can cause eutrophication problems and we will discuss these in this Unit.
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We use chlorophyll (the photosynthetic pigment in plants) as a measure of how much biological growth there is in the oceans. The blue areas with little chlorophyll are the deserts of the oceans. The red areas, which are generally around the coasts, are the most biologically active. Image taken by the NASA SeaWiFS satellite.
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