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Significance of Upwelling
Typically, upwelling systems are dominated by diatoms, which are capable of fixing substantial amounts of carbon. Organic matter is ultimately removed from the euphotic zone by a range of processes including turbulent mixing, detrainment, and downwelling. However, biologically mediated processes often dominate vertical transport through mass aggregation and sedimentation during diatom blooms; nutrient depletion may play an important role in enhancing aggregation during periods of upwelling relaxation. Ingestion of phytoplankton by vertically migrating zooplankton is another mechanism for transporting carbon to depth.