UPWELLING

(1) The appearance of water from the deep ocean at the surface. This usually occurs along the coasts of continents (such as the coast of Peru along the west coast of South America) where the prevailing winds tend to push the surface waters away from the land area, allowing waters from the deep ocean to rise to the surface. The deep waters carry a significant input of plant nutrients to the surface, causing an elevated level of primary production and abundant fish populations. (2) The process or an instance of rising or appearing to rise to the surface and flowing outward; especially the process of upward movement to the surface of marine often nutrient-rich lower waters particularly along some shores due to the offshore drift of surface water (as from the action of winds and the Coriolis Effect).