Читать книгу Oceans For Dummies - Joseph Kraynak - Страница 11

IN THIS CHAPTER

Getting a big-picture view of the ocean and related bodies of water

Wrapping your brain around the water cycle

Sampling the vast diversity of ocean life

Building a mutually beneficial relationship with the ocean

Before you dive into any large or complex topic, you’re wise to step back and look at the big picture. A general understanding provides a framework on which to hang the details. In this chapter, we provide that framework, establishing a context for understanding the many facets of the ocean and how they all fit together.

We start by introducing you to the ocean and breaking it down into its five “oceans.” Then, we get into a few topics in the realm of physical oceanography — the water cycle, the shapes of the ocean basins, meteorology, and other properties and processes that explain what makes the ocean tick from a physical standpoint. We then introduce you to the various groups of life-forms that populate the ocean — plants, animals, and beings that fit in neither (or both) categories. Finally, we wrap things up with a discussion of the ocean’s current state and the human-ocean relationship — the benefits we gain from the ocean and our responsibilities as environmental stewards in protecting and preserving it.

Get ready for a wild ride. In this chapter, we cover a lot of ground, not to mention all that water!