. The Diversity of the Seas: a regional approach. WCMC Biodiversity Series 4. . WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape-Verde, Congo, Cote d'lvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome e Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Zaire St Helena and dependencies (to UK) are included in the biodiversity section below. LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS The West African coast from Mauritania south to Namibia includes the southern part of the Canary Current LME, the whole of the Guinea Current LME and most of the Benguela
. The Diversity of the Seas: a regional approach. WCMC Biodiversity Series 4. . WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape-Verde, Congo, Cote d'lvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome e Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Zaire St Helena and dependencies (to UK) are included in the biodiversity section below. LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS The West African coast from Mauritania south to Namibia includes the southern part of the Canary Current LME, the whole of the Guinea Current LME and most of the Benguela Current LME. The Canary Current LME is described under the North Atlantic Region. Guinea Current LME The Guinea Current LME extends from the Bissagos Islands off Guinea in the north, through the Gulf of Guinea and Bight of Biafra, to Cape Lopez in Gabon. It is characterised principally by the wind- driven warm water Guinea Current flowing southward along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea almost to the equator (essentially a continuation of the Equatorial Counter-Current). A major influence on the region is the input of freshwater from the numerous rivers in this high- rainfall region, most notably the Niger and Zaire (the former being the second largest delta in the world). This results in large masses of warm (above 24°C) and low salinity (less than 35 ppt) water circulating in the Gulf of Guinea above colder water masses. These waters are permanent off Sierra Leone and Liberia and in the Gulf of Biafra (off Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon) but seasonal along the central part of the north coast of the Gulf of Guinea (from Cote d'lvoire to Benin). Here there are strong seasonal upwellings during the summer months. North of Sierra Leone, upwellings occur from October to April. Benguela Current LME The Benguela Current is a major northward flowing cold-water current and upwelling system running along the coast of South Africa, Namibia and Angola, veering offshore at around 6°S. Unusu
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Keywords: ., bh, bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodiversity, bookleafnumber67
