Title: ENSO Anomalies Category: Physical Subcategory: Difficulty: Unknown Year 2004 Bowl: Shore Bowl Author: C. Grant Law Contact info: ext 310 IMCS, Rutgers University 71 Dudley Rd. New Brunswick, NJ 08901

QUESTION Round:Time: 2 minutesStandard/Category: Physical QUESTION: This figure superimposes surface wind anomalies on sea surface temperature anomalies. 1)What phenomena is responsible for these anomalies? (5 points) 2) What 2 features of the figure give away the answer to question 1? (10 points) 3) What is the most significant effect the highest temperature anomalies have on the biological communities where they occur? (5 points)

ANSWER Round:Time: 2 minutesStandard/Category: Physical QUESTION/ANSWERS: 1)What is responsible for these anomalies? (5 points) ANSWER: the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) 2) What 2 features of the figure give away the answer to question 1? (10 points) ANSWER: The Western Warm Pool has moved to the East Pacific. (5 points) The tradewinds have weakened and actually reversed in some areas. (5 points) 3) What is the most significant effect the highest temperature anomalies have on the biological communities where they occur? (5 points) ANSWER: The warm water in the East Pacific forces the thermocline down, holding nutrient-rich water well below the photic zone. This reduces productivity in the region, greatly limiting populations of higher consumers SSverdrup, KA et al An Introduction to the World’s Oceans. McGraw-Hill (Figure 6.20)