Nutricline

A nutricline is an ocean layer in which there is a high variation of nutrient content depending on the depth. It is linked to the pycnocline which, by limiting the transfer of nutrients towards the mixing layer, also limits primary production.

In typical tropical permanent thermocline zones, primary production - and therefore chlorophyll content - is maximal at the top of the nutricline where the nutrient-rich layer receives the most solar energy.