How the Oceans Influence Our World - Coursework Example

How the Oceans Influence Our World Insert Insert Physical feature of the ocean Oceans are vast of salty water bodies they usually cover about 71% of the earth and contain 97% of the water on earth. This water as two properties cohesion force, which is the ability of water to stick together, and adhesion force which is the ability of water to stick to other things. Ocean water is saline because rainwater is acidic hence when it meets the rocks it dissolves forming sodium chloride. Hence drained down the oceans by rivers making it saline. Evaporation also contributes to the salinity of the ocean since water evaporates living salt concentration. Salinity of the ocean is concentrated at the center of the ocean. Apart from oceans being saline it has the following characteristics;- The pressure of the ocean is high at the bottom unlike the pressure of the air, which is high at the top. Ocean water is denser due to the presence of the salt, which increases the density. Ocean temperatures are not uniform they are warm at the top and cold as you go down (Freitag, 2003). There is quite difference between the ocean and lakes since lakes are fresh water, unlike the lakes. These because most lakes have inlet and outlet, and hence water becomes fresh with time though not all lakes are fresh (Freitag, 2003). Ocean floor has some physical features, which are huge mountains, deep canyons, steep cliff and wide plains. It’s divided into different areas as follows;- Continental shelf, which is nearly flat underwater and is usually wide low-lying land and narrow mountainous coast. Continental slope is outer the continental shelf.it descends almost the bottom of the ocean to the continental rise. Continental rise descends deep to the ocean floor called the abyssal plain. Abyssal plains are broad and flat rising from the plain in the ocean is a huge chain almost undersea mountains called mid-ocean ridge Ocean trenches have deep and narrow depression they are the deepest part of the ocean (Nasu, 1986). Oceans were formed years ago to understand how to was formed you have to know the evolution of the solar system. It started as dust of cloud and gasses. Those aggregated to become sun, planets, comets and asteroid. Planets close to the sun melted while the other had gasses. The water comes from the outgassing which is the gasses from the earlier atmosphere and within the earth and bombardment by comets. The water on the earth stays in gaseous form until planets surfaces go below 100 degrees. At this time, the rain condense going to the oceans. This is related to Alfred Wegner plate tectonic theory where it explains the solar system and its connection to the formation of the oceans (Nasu, 1986). Life in the ocean There are five ocean life zones which are as follows;- Epipelagic zone is the layer on top of the ocean from the surface to about 200 meters deep. The light results in photosynthesis to take place hence plants exist here e.g. planktons. Mesopelagic zone light is dim here hence no plants since no sunlight for the plant. Fish are found here especially during the day since they hide from the dim light. Bathypelagic zone is about 400 meters deep; no light is able to reach here and little animals exist here and feed on the remains of plants and animals from epipelagic zone (Pelinovskii & Kharif, 2008). Animals here have no eyes since they do not need cause it dark there. Abyssopelagic zone water here is very salty and very cold.It’s about 6000 meters deep it is impossible for animals to live here hence the ones living here have bizarre adaptation to cope with the ecosystem. Fish here have jaws that look unlined which allow them to drag their open mouth on the floor to find food. They also produce light through a chemical reaction in their bodies. Hadalpelegic zone this zone is the deepest it is found in trenches and canyon. Very few lives are found here like crabs. Coral reef is animals though they are mistaken for rocks.They fall in the anthroza class they are related to the jellyfish and anemones. They are found around the coastline of the ocean. It is a home for 1/3 of fish species on earth trophic and marine organism. During the day saddle wrasser hunt, the reef for crustaceans, mollusks and urchins to eat and at night they hide in them (Pelinovskiĭ & Kharif, 2008). Generally, corals reef are food for many animals and provide protection for them. Coral reef have been endangered in the following way;- Human cause deterioration is hence reducing the ability of the reef to withstand hurricanes, cyclone, and other storms. Global warming cause El Nino hence results in the rise of temperature which in turn affect the coral reef since they are sensitive to unusual temperatures Population and development pressure a caused demand for more land hence the deforestation occurs, which in turn causes soil erosion, which smothers the reefs. Cyanide and other toxins used to stun reef to capture fish endanger reef since accumulation of them kill the reefs (Siedler, Church & Gould, 2001). There is a need to conserve the coral reef since they are becoming endangered each day. This two ways will help;- Trade should be allowed to export only permit, and international agreement should be made with the safeguarding of the harvesting which occurs in reef fishes amidst other marine animals. Habitat protection and education of recreationist this is by creating marine parks to protect the coral reefs. Park management should be practice while including the buoys for anchoring and educating boaters and divers about how to prevent reef damage. Ocean in motion Oceans are considered to always be motion due to the energy of the sun and the gravity of the earth. The winds also give energy to the ocean surface, and the ocean currents are the result. They affect the climate in the since oceans take a long time to heat, unlike land. Hence, not experiencing extreme temperatures like the land (Study shows oceans, 2014). The movement of the ocean tides affects the local climate. They not only affect the temperatures of the area but also the amount of precipitation received. Cold currents flowing along the coastline region chill air and at times prevent the warm air and moisture it has from falling on land hence causing deserts. Sea breeze occurs when cool air from the sea flows to the land during the day since land absorbs heat faster than the sea. During the day, the land will be warmer, and sea will be cool hence cool air will go to the land at night the cool air from the land will go to the sea. Oceans are very important part of the water cycle since water evaporating in the oceans in form of precipitation evaporates into the atmosphere where other vapor accumulate and condense to form rain which brings back water to the land and oceans (Study shows oceans, 2014). Tides are rising and falling of sea level. They are a feature which result from the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the ocean of the earth. There are three types of tides. The phenomenon which is referred to as the Spring tide usually happens during the sessions of a full moon when the gravitational force of the sun and the moon are combined. It usually occurs when the earth, moon, and sun are in one line. High tides are usually very high, and low tides are very low. Neap tide occurs during the moon quarter phase. The high and low tide usually has a small difference. They are perpendicular to one another. Proxigean spring tide occurs rarely usually once every 1.5 years and occurs when the moon is unusually close to the earth. The tides are unusually high. El Nino southern oscillation affect the location of the jet stream, hence altering the rainfall patterns in the west, mid-west, southeast and throughout the tropic. This shift in the jet stream leads to shifting in the occurrence of severe weather and number of expected tropical cyclones expected within the tropics in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans affected by changing ocean temperatures and sub-tropical jet stream (Study shows oceans, 2014). El Nino was predicted to occur in November 2014 and January 2015, but the prediction did not come true. Ocean exploration Ocean exploration is about the systematic process of making discoveries and searching for things that are unusual and unexpected in the ocean. Ocean exploration has occurred since 1800s but until now, only 5% of the ocean floor has been explored and the scientific understanding of the underwater environment remains unclear. The current ocean exploration continues to go to new territories. It is locating and identifying new species and resources ranging from hydrothermal vents and deep-sea corals to shipwrecks and other cultural artifacts. Ocean exploration also has prospected for new anti-cancer drugs from the deep sea. They have discovered the steamship Portland that lost in 1898 off the Massachusetts coast. Scientists are underway in identifying new and profitable energy sources and biomedical resources though it remains largely untapped. The process has been limited by a narrow focus and lack of enough finances and support from the government (Wright, Rothery & Brown, 1998). Humans have impacted on the ocean even today. Evidence of humans is found all over the oceans in the form of floating trash. It is explained by ocean pollution, habitat destruction and the introduction of alien species. Ocean pollution refers to generally making the ocean impure by contaminating with fabricated waste. These of human wastes include trash, oil, sewage, chemicals and heat. Pollution increases with the increase in human population. Oil spills happen when tankers leak or wreck and cover the water surface. These affect oxygen circulation and the marine birds. Untreated sewages also have very harmful human bacteria that contaminate the seawater. The chemicals also damage the marine organisms and some even end up in the food chain, which causes long-term side effects and deaths. Thermal pollution refers to the byproduct of the oceans use as a cooling agent. The change of temperature in the changes the makeup of the species (Wright, Rothery & Brown, 1998). Introduction of alien species by the shipping industry, which pick up marine species in the water caused unbalanced ecosystem. The introduced species may die due to change in the environment or survive and out-compete the native species. Habitat destruction also impacts the ocean making the area unfit Oceans and humans are interconnected Oceans and its coasts are affecting people’s lives all around the world. The importance is that they are the basic elements that are needed to survive, thus connected to humans. Ocean is responsible for the production of half of the world’s oxygen, which in respect absorb one-third of the human-caused carbon dioxide. They also regulate our weather and form the clouds that cause rains. Jobs: one in six jobs in the U.S marine related and a lot of annual GDP comes from ocean tourism, living resources, and recreation. Fishermen depend entirely on the oceans and keeping it healthy results in healthy products (Nasu, 1986). Highway to global transportation: continents all over the world use oceans to import and export their products to other markets. Recreational opportunities: many people across the world to enjoy the spectacular activities that oceans offer, for some people the oceans are a lifeline for survival. Mineral resources: there are many mineral resources that have been explored in the ocean, for example, Methane hydrate deposits that is expected to produce twice as much energy as all the global reserves of coal. The food we eat: humans get many proteins from the fish and other animals from the ocean. They are also used to feed farmed fish. Ocean ingredients like algae and kelp are used in making soymilk, peanut butter beer, and frozen foods Medicine: ocean ingredients are used to make shampoos, cosmetics and medicines that help fight heart disease, arthritis, viruses, cancer, and other diseases (Nasu, 1986). Ocean Garbage patch It refers to the area in the ocean with concentration of debris. The pattern of ocean currents and winds concentrates the debris in the huge area of the Pacific Ocean. The current size is not known because of very few oceanographic cruises have crossed the area. In addition, ocean features move and constantly change with ocean current and wind. Garbage patch can be solved by reducing and avoiding marine pollution. People can do this by organizing beach cleanup, reducing rubbish and correctly disposing of them, taking care of local streams and ensure that only rainwater drain to them (Siedler, Church & Gould, 2001). I have learned about the ocean, its water, the physical features of the ocean floor, ocean life and how it completes the life cycle of the ecosystem. The best place to start in keeping the ocean water free from pollution starts with you. Everyone should take it as a personal responsibility to end pollution. Recycling of waste products of glasses, cans, and plastic containers is the first step to reducing pollution. The government has regulated trade whereby you export only if you have a permit, and international agreement have been made to prevent rampant collection of reef fishes and other marine animals. Government has also protected the habitat creating marine parks to protect the coral reefs and marine animals. They have also educated recreationist that Park management should be practiced and educated boaters and divers about how to prevent reef damage (Siedler, Church & Gould, 2001). The ministry of environment and the government should enact policies that help reduce pollution and emission of dangerous gasses and subsidy of alternative energy sources. They should also use science and technology to find other ways to use recycled products. The government should fund organizations that are working to explore as well as preserve the environment and introduce tax to make consumers and producers pay the full social cost of producing pollution. This will reduce the production of pollutants to the environment. References Freitag, U. (2003). Indian Ocean migrants and state formation in Hadhramaut. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. Nasu, N. (1986). Formation of active ocean margins. Tokyo: Terra Scientific Pub. Co. Pelinovskii, E., & Kharif, C. (2008). Extreme ocean waves. [Dordrecht]: Springer. Siedler, G., Church, J., & Gould, J. (2001). Ocean circulation and climate. San Diego: Academic Press. Study shows oceans. (2014). ECOS. Doi: 10.1071/ec14032 Wright, J., Rothery, D., & Brown, J. (1998). The ocean basins. Oxford [UK]: Butterworth-Heinemann. Read More