Oxygen is the primary need of living things to breathe. All living things require oxygen, as well as living things that exist in the sea. However, how important is oxygen at sea? Here is the following 15 importance of oxygen in the ocean should you know.
1. Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved oxygen is oxygen in soluble form in water. We know that fish can’t take the oxygen directly from the air. Dissolved oxygen is needed by the fish for the metabolism of its body. Dissolved oxygen has a measurement of oxygen of mg / l which means the amount of mg / l of oxygen gas dissolved in water. Ocean water has a certain amount of oxygen with some conditions.
Dissolved oxygen comes from air diffusion through the water surface, the water flow, rainwater and the process of photosynthesis of aquatic plants. The content of dissolved oxygen depends on temperature, salinity, water turbidity and the air pressure. The content of dissolved oxygen also depends on mixing, movement of water mass, and waste into the body of water.
2. Diffusion of oxygen
Diffusion oxygen is the occurrence of air entering through the water surface. This happens because of the movement of air molecules that collide with water molecules. So that oxygen is bound in water. This process always occurs when the movement of water shakes the oxygen. The balance of the amount of oxygen in water and air can occur when the number of salt-soluble molecules in the water. Salt-containing water can balance the oxygen level, even the oxygen content in the water is low.
3. The rains
Do you know when it rains and gets into the water will increase the oxygen in it? Reducing rain not only pushes oxygen into the water, but the temperature in the water will drop automatically as well. That is why oxygen in seawater increases. Increased oxygen in water is used by marine animals to cultivate the breath.
However, the high of rainfall will have little effect on the ph above the water. The rains, in addition to lowering the temperature in the water, it also adds acid content in water. A decrease in the pH of water affects fishes to growth.
4. Assimilation process
The process of assimilation is done by plants that are in the water. This assimilation process is a process of making food with the help of sunlight during the day. This process also supplies nutrients to cells needed by the body. With the assimilation process during the day, it will add oxygen to the water. While at night the water plants will take the oxygen contained in the water. One of the plant factors requires oxygen in water caused by the process of dismantling organic matter.
5. Photosynthesis Process
The process of assimilation with photosynthesis is the same process. The process of photosynthesis is only done by phytoplankton or green plants. This process is a process to create the source of oxygen. In addition to photosynthesis results, air diffusion also provides an important role to produce oxygen. Oxygen levels will decrease with increasing of ocean water depth.
The process of photosynthesis cannot be done on deep water, because of the lack of sunlight. Automatically. oxygen levels will decrease because it is widely used for breathing and oxidation of organic matter.
Pollution is one of the other factors that can decrease water quality and oxygen levels. The decrease in water quality caused by pollution, it can be seen by observing some chemical parameters, such as dissolved oxygen. Marine pollution will change the ecosystem in the sea, especially in the food chain. Some coastal areas of the Pacific have decreased oxygen levels caused by marine pollution.
7. The Increased temperature
Oxygen levels in the oceans will increase with low temperatures. However, if the temperature in the oceans increases the level of oxygen automatically will be decreased. Increased temperatures in the oceans are related to climate change. The threat of extreme climate change can reduce the levels of oxygen in salt water on earth. Read more about Main Causes of Rising Ocean Temperatures
Not only that, the decrease in oxygen will kill sea animals such as crabs or starfish. The decrease of oxygen is very potential to threaten the life of marine life. Low oxygen region conditions are now widespread and widespread.It is very, unfortunately.
8. The high salinity
The increased oxygen levels will increase if salinity levels are low. Salinity is expressed as the amount of salt dissolved in water. Salinity in the ocean ranges from 340/00 – 350/00. It is not all of the marine organisms can survive in water with different salt concentrations. Salmon is a fish that can adapt well to salt water and fresh water. Read more about Factors Affecting Ocean Salinity
Salinity has an important role in the life of marine organisms, such as affecting the availability of fish. High salinity can occur if the level of evaporation of sea water in the area is large enough, the low rainfall in the ocean and the low of rivers that flow into the ocean.
9. The water movement
The speed of oxygen diffusion also depends on the movement of water or commonly called ocean currents. Ocean currents are the movement of seawater from one place to another. Ocean currents can occur due to differences in salinity in the depths of the ocean, the wind blowing on the surface of the oceans, and the difference in oceanic surfaces that are affected by tides. Read more about Movement of Ocean Water
Sea currents are closely related to the spread of fish, diverting eggs and fishes to grow up and diverting it to the foraging places.
10. The air pressure
Air pressure is getting lower when higher than sea level. The amount of oxygen obtained is also reduced. On the ocean, the air pressure can cause the wind to blow hard. The wind can trigger high waves. Another example, the land breeze.
The land breeze is a wind that moves from land to sea. The mainland has a high in air pressure because the land quickly receives heat and the cold. While the sea, that have low pressure.
This difference of air pressure is causes of the land breeze. In addition, sea breeze occurs because the air pressure in the mainland is lower and the temperature of the land is higher than above the sea. This pressure and temperature difference cause the sea breeze to occur.
11. Indicator of water quality
Dissolved oxygen is used as an indicator of water quality. Good water quality is needed by the life of marine organisms. Oxygen dissolved in water tends to change according to the atmospheric state. The lack of oxygen is certainly not sufficient for the fish needs, all activities and the process of growth of fish will be disrupted.
Winkler method using DO meter is one of the experiments that can be used to know the result of dissolved oxygen in the waters. If the quality of the waters is bad, then the waters have been polluted. Contamination of waters with polluted categories typically ranges from 4.5 to 6.5 mg / l.
12. The growth of fishes
Oxygen dissolved in water required fish to do the growth process. The oxygen needs of each fish are different. Fish that have different sizes require different oxygen. Fish need oxygen to be active. Sufficient dissolved oxygen available to the ocean will determine the activity and growth rate of the fish. For example tilapia, tilapia requires oxygen for growth and swimming activity. The oxygen source in the waters is about 35% of the water plant photosynthesis. This oxygen level is an optimal quantity for the growth of tilapia.
13. Aerobic Processes
Dissolved oxygen is required for the oxidation of organic and inorganic materials in aerobic processes. The term aerobic is used for the handling of biological processes where there is dissolved oxygen. These organic and inorganic materials will produce fertility in the waters.
This aerob process is usually used for wastewater treatment by utilizing aerobic microbes. In contrast, the anaerobic process of oxygen serves as a reduction of chemical compounds in the form of nutrients and gases.
14. Reproduction of marine fish
Dissolved oxygen is used for marine fish to perform reproduction. The dissolved oxygen content of more than 5 mg / l. It will help the reproduction process and the growth rate of fish will run well. Another case with water containing detergent, the oxygen content in water is minimal because of the oxygen supply from the slow air. Of course, this threatens reproduction and growth rate of fish.
15. Oxidation and reduction
Dissolved oxygen also plays a role in the oxidation process and reduction of organic and inorganic materials in water. This oxidation and reduction process helps reduce pollution loads in natural waters as well as on aerobic treatment to purify industrial and household waste.
Oxygen that acts as an oxidizing agent and reduces toxic chemicals can convert it into other simpler and non-toxic compounds. It is not only marine fish, microorganisms also require oxygen to breathe. Microorganisms play a role in breaking down toxic chemicals into simple and less toxic compounds.
All marine organisms need the oxygen as well as possible. There are such of factors that contain the dissolved oxygen that explained above. Freshwaters have a lot of oxygen because the photosynthesis process is doing well. Besides, the depth of water has minimized of oxygen because the air pressure is very low.
Hopefully, the 15 importance of oxygen in the ocean can help you to find the answer about the importance of oxygen in the ocean.
See Also :
- Importance of Maintaining The Ocean Ecosystem
- Importance of Artificial Coral Reefs
- Importance of Atlantic Ocean