Image: Chlorophyll concentration off the Galapagos archipelago during El Niño and La Niña

Description: El Niño and La Niña, large-scale shifts in winds and currents in the equatorial Pacific, have dramatic effects on the ecosystems of the Galapagos. These satellite maps show chlorophyll concentration (which corresponds with the abundance of microscopic ocean plants, called phytoplankton) during El Niño (top) and La Niña (lower). Blue represents low concentrations, while yellow, orange and red indicate high concentrations. Currents that normally fertilize the phytoplankton reverse during El Niño, resulting in barren oceans. These same currents are strengthened by La Niña resulting in an explosion of ocean life.
Title: Chlorophyll concentration off the Galapagos archipelago during El Niño and La Niña
Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
Author: GSFC Ocean Color team and GeoEye.
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No