In recent years, scientists have documented a drop in the salinity of the North Atlantic Ocean. The primary concern of scientists studying this phenomenon is that a large drop in the salinity of North Atlantic water would affect the:
  1. Acidity of the surface water in one of the world's most important fisheries.
  2. Amount of precipitation in the temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
  3. Rate at which heat is transferred northward by the Gulf Stream.D. Formation of sea ice in a region already under stress from climate change.
  4. Formation of sea ice in a region already under stress from climate change.
Explanation
Correct Response: C. The slight decrease in salinity of North Atlantic surface waters has reduced the water's density. This change likely results from increased freshwater influx from Greenland's melting ice sheet. A substantial drop in salinity will reduce the rate at which North Atlantic surface waters sink. Since this sinking water pulls the Gulf Stream's warm water northward as part of the ocean's thermohaline circulation, this change could alter the region's climate. Salinity does affect water pH (A), but it is not the primary concern of scientists studying changes in salinity in the region. The change in salinity would be unlikely to directly affect precipitation in the region (B) and although it would increase the formation of sea ice (D) in far northern areas, this is not a concern for scientists studying the phenomenon.
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