Sargasso Sea

E13109

The Sargasso Sea is a region of the North Atlantic Ocean characterized by its clear, warm waters and large floating mats of Sargassum seaweed, bounded by ocean currents rather than land.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf marine ecoregion
region of the Atlantic Ocean
sea
approximateArea about 2 million square miles
about 5.2 million square kilometers
borderedBy Canary Current
Gulf Stream
North Atlantic Current
North Atlantic Equatorial Current
boundedBy ocean currents
country no coastal state
ecosystemType oligotrophic subtropical gyre
hasBiota Sargassum fluitans
Sargassum natans
pelagic fish species
sea turtles
seabirds
hasCharacteristic accumulation of floating debris
clear water
low nutrient levels
low primary productivity
relatively high salinity
warm water
weak horizontal currents
hasConservationInitiative Sargasso Sea Commission
hasConservationStatus subject of international conservation efforts
hasRole important habitat for marine species
migration corridor for sea turtles
nursery area for fish and invertebrates
spawning area for American eel
spawning area for European eel
knownFor floating Sargassum seaweed
high water clarity
large mats of Sargassum
unique pelagic ecosystem
locatedEastOf United States
locatedIn North Atlantic Ocean
locatedNortheastOf Caribbean Sea
locatedNorthOf equator
namedAfter Sargassum seaweed
partOf Atlantic Ocean
North Atlantic subtropical gyre
salinity relatively high compared to surrounding Atlantic
threatenedBy climate change
overfishing
plastic pollution
shipping impacts
waterColor deep blue
waterType open ocean


Please wait…