Compare and Contrast- Tropical and Temperate Oceans

Compare and Contrast-

Tropical and Temperate Oceans

Temperate Oceans

Tropical Oceans

Season Length:

Tropical: Due to the fact that the tropical ocean is located near the equator, it is warm year-round. Therefore, there is not a marked difference between the seasons, as it is warm all year.

Both

Temperatures:

Temperate: Temperate oceans are colder than tropical ones, which is why the average temperature varies between 10 to 20ºC. The temperature changes with season, unlike tropical oceans.

In both cases, the average ocean temperatures are not below zero degrees.

Location:

Tropical: Tropical oceans stretch between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. Tropical oceans also exist in the central parts of the Pacific Ocean along with the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean.

Location:

Temperate: Temperate oceans are found in both the northern and southern part of the world. In the Northern Hemisphere, the oceans are located between Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle. In the Southern Hemisphere, temperate oceans exist between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Southern Ocean.

Both oceans are home to a variety of fish and coral reefs.

the tropical ocean is represented by the color purple

the temperate ocean is represented by the dark blue portion on the map

fish and coral reef exist in both biomes

Plants:

Temperate: Rockweed and brown algae are common in the temperate ocean. Although kelp grows in both ocean types, the temperate ocean is home to giant kelp, which can grow to be up to 125 feet tall. The giant kelp is a habitat for a number of organisms such as sea otters, sea lions, urchins, rockfish, and anemones.

grey whale

Temperatures:

Tropical: The average temperature of the tropical ocean is about 20ºC and this value is steady year-round.

Animals:

Temperate: Animals include the grey whale, ocean skate, northern nose-bottled whale, the basking shark, and Atlantic salmon. Most fish that are consumed by humans are from the temperate ocean. These include the Atlantic herring, abalone, hake, halibut, haddock, mackerel, monkfish, and swordfish. As mentioned previously, the large plankton population serves as a food source for all food chains, which is why life in the ocean can exist.

Atlantic salmon

top: rockweed

middle: brown algae

bottom: giant kelp

Both contain plankton, however, the temperate ocean has much higher concentrations than the tropical ocean. Kelp is also found in both regions, however, it is more commonly associated with the temperate region.

Rainfall:

Tropical: In the tropics, the warm temperatures and constant evaporation of water make rainfall the norm. In fact, there is about 60-250 inches of rainfall each year.

haddock

Adaptations:

Temperate: The kelp roots stem deep within the sea bed to help protect the plant from strong ocean currents. The Caribbean Reef Shark has a streamlined body which helps the animal move quickly and easily. The basking shark naturally swims with its mouth slightly open, which helps the shark eat as much plankton as possible.

plankton (left) and kelp (right) exist in both biomes

Caribbean Reef Shark

kelp roots start deep

within the sea bed

Season Length:

Temperate: In the temperate oceans there are distinct changes with season. During the winter months, the temperature is much cooler than in the summer. During the spring, the increased sunlight yield large plankton production. This stimulated growth kick-starts more plant and animal growth in the biome. The seasons are divided fairly even, so each season is about 3 months.

Plants:

Tropical: Red algae and seagrass typically grow in the tropical ocean as they can only survive in warm climates.

There are a number of adaptations that are common in both biomes. Coral reefs are found in both oceans. Their exterior serves as camouflage to help protect them from predators. Kelp tends to wrap around rocks, which act as an anchor to prevent the plant from washing away with the ocean currents. Similarly, countless plants have roots that act as anchors. A number of plants have also adapted by having gas and air sacs. These sacs make it easier for the plant to reach the surface of the water, which allows for them to collect sunlight, a vital step in photosynthesis. Plants and animals must also be able to adapt to the salty conditions. Some plants will cope by living in areas with a lower salt concentrations while more advanced coping mechanisms include breaking the salt into other materials.

left: red algae

right: seagrass

Rainfall:

Temperate: Most of the world’s rainfall occurs over oceans, due to the large size and relatively fast evaporation process. In both biomes the rainfall values vary based on the exact location. Temperate oceans experience very little rain, with the average being only about 3 cm per year.

Adaptations:

Tropical: The stonefish, which looks like a stone, is able to hide from predators as it is camouflaged.

a stonefish in action

Moreover, both ocean types influence their surrounding environments. For example, due to the warm temperatures, water from the tropical ocean evaporates and travels to form clouds. These clouds provide environments such as rainforests and farmland with the necessary rain to support life. The temperate ocean also helps to transfer and absorb heat throughout the world, affecting global temperatures.

Physical Properties:

Tropical: Tropical oceans are crystal clear.

Physical Properties:

Temperate: Temperate oceans are a murky blue-green colour. The darker colour is due to the large population of plankton in the water.

the temperate ocean is clearly darker than the tropical ocean shown in the previous image

left: blue marlin

right: barracuda

images of pristine tropical oceans

Animals:

Tropical: Animals include the blue marlin, barracuda, porcupine fish and smooth hammerhead.

top: porcupine fish

bottom: smooth hammerhead

Navjot Khaira