There are upwellings and downwellings on the ocean's surface caused by the meeting of currents. When the sea's surface is relatively calm, these currents can be made visible by "slicks" created by naturally occurring oils produced by animals and plants.

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Slicks are important to biologists because plankton also get concentrated into these convergence zones and create hotspots for feeding, transport, and reproduction. In some ways slicks are like the restaurants of the ocean: they are good places for zooplankton and fish to find things to eat! However, slicks are not always beneficial for marine life — the same processes that cause good stuff to accumulate can also concentrate pollutants, leading to harmful conditions.

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Source: there is much more here from an expert.


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Edited by Hill (11/20/08 01:53 PM)

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