Intro to OceanographyIntro to Oceanography

What is Oceanography?What is Oceanography?

The scientific study of the The scientific study of the ocean and its inhabitantsocean and its inhabitants

Marine Biology – biological Marine Biology – biological discipline; focused on the discipline; focused on the biology and physiology of biology and physiology of marine organisms marine organisms

Shouldn’t our planet be called “Water” rather than “Earth”?

~~71% of the earth’s surface 71% of the earth’s surface are oceans are oceans

Maximum depth: ca. 11,022 m Maximum depth: ca. 11,022 m (Trieste) (Trieste) (Land: Mt Everest 8,848 m) (Land: Mt Everest 8,848 m)

Average depth: ca. 3800 m Average depth: ca. 3800 m Total volume: 1370 x 106 km3 Total volume: 1370 x 106 km3 Presents 300 times space for Presents 300 times space for

life than land and freshwater life than land and freshwater combined.  combined. 

Only 2% of human food Only 2% of human food originates from the oceans originates from the oceans but present 20% of high but present 20% of high quality protein nutrition quality protein nutrition

Still recent NASA scientist Still recent NASA scientist said: “We now know more said: “We now know more about the backside of the about the backside of the moon than about the depths moon than about the depths of our oceans.” of our oceans.”

Marine vs. Terrestrial Marine vs. Terrestrial LifeLife Organisms – Organisms –

similar density similar density as environment as environment (salt water) less (salt water) less energy to energy to float/swim… float/swim… small effect of small effect of gravitygravity

Organisms – Organisms – much higher much higher density than density than air.air.High gravity High gravity impact (fall impact (fall down)down)

Water Water supports supports bodies, no bodies, no need to put need to put energy in energy in skeletons skeletons

Plenty of Plenty of water for water for life  life 

Temperature Temperature variation low variation low

Need strong Need strong skeletal skeletal material material (animals: (animals: bones; bones;

trees: trunks) trees: trunks) May become May become

water limited water limited Temperature Temperature

varies varies strongly strongly

Light limited: Light limited: reflection of reflection of light at sea light at sea surface and surface and rapid light rapid light absorption with absorption with water depth water depth

Nutrient Nutrient limited: nitrate, limited: nitrate, phosphate, phosphate, silicate, iron silicate, iron

Light energy Light energy substantially substantially higher than in higher than in aquatic aquatic systems, low systems, low absorption by absorption by air air

High nutrient High nutrient concentrations concentrations in natural soils in natural soils

Major part of Major part of nutrient nutrient cycling in the cycling in the dark deep-sea dark deep-sea

Physically Physically unstable unstable habitats habitats

Nutrient Nutrient cycling in cycling in soil close to soil close to plant uptake plant uptake

Physically Physically stable stable environmentenvironment