Editing Photic zone (section)

== Nutrient uptake in the photic zone ==
Due to biological uptake, the photic zone has relatively low levels of nutrient concentrations. As a result, phytoplankton doesn't receive enough nutrients when there is high water-column stability.<ref>{{cite book | doi=10.1007/0-387-30843-1_325 | chapter=Photic zone | title=Beaches and Coastal Geology | series=Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series | date=1982 | last1=Sheppard | first1=Charles R. C. | page=636 | isbn=978-0-87933-213-6 }}</ref> The [[spatial distribution]] of organisms can be controlled by a number of factors. Physical factors include: temperature, hydrostatic pressure, turbulent mixing such as the upward [[Turbulence|turbulent flux]] of inorganic nitrogen across the nutricline.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Longhurst|first1=Alan R.|last2=Glen Harrison|first2=W.|date=June 1988|title=Vertical nitrogen flux from the oceanic photic zone by diel migrant zooplankton and nekton|journal=Deep Sea Research Part A. Oceanographic Research Papers|volume=35|issue=6|pages=881–889|doi=10.1016/0198-0149(88)90065-9|bibcode=1988DSRA...35..881L|issn=0198-0149}}</ref> Chemical factors include oxygen and trace elements.  Biological factors include grazing and migrations.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gundersen|first1=K.|last2=Mountain|first2=C. W.|last3=Taylor|first3=Diane|last4=Ohye|first4=R.|last5=Shen|first5=J.|date=July 1972|journal=Limnology and Oceanography|volume=17|issue=4|pages=524–532|doi=10.4319/lo.1972.17.4.0524|issn=0024-3590|title=Some Chemical and Microbiological Observations in the Pacific Ocean off the Hawaiian Islands1|bibcode=1972LimOc..17..524G|doi-access=free}}</ref> Upwelling carries nutrients from the deep waters into the photic zone, strengthening phytoplankton growth. The remixing and upwelling eventually bring nutrient-rich wastes back into the photic zone. The [[Ekman transport]] additionally brings more nutrients to the photic zone. Nutrient pulse frequency affects the phytoplankton competition. Photosynthesis produces more of it. Being the first link in the food chain, what happens to phytoplankton creates a rippling effect for other species. Besides phytoplankton, many other animals also live in this zone and utilize these nutrients. The majority of ocean life occurs in the photic zone, the smallest ocean zone by water volume. The photic zone, although small, has a large impact on those who reside in it.