1. Earth Systems, Structures and Processes
Summarize evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
Estuaries
Marine ecosystems
Upwelling
Behavior of gases in the marine environment
Deep ocean technology and understandings gained

2. Earth’s Oceans
More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean water.
Most of the ocean floor has not been explored because it is so vast and deep.
There are many similarities in features between the ocean floor and land.

3. One Ocean Earth’s oceans are often split into 5 different ones:
Atlantic
Pacific
Indian
Southern
Arctic
There is actually only one continuous ocean

4. One Ocean Ocean Basin Pacific is largest and deepest
Part of Earth’s surface that is covered by ocean water.
Pacific is largest and deepest
Arctic is coldest and shallowest
Mostly covered in ice

5. Ocean Floor Ocean floor includes Continental shelf Continental slope
Mid-ocean ridge
Rift valleys
Trenches

6. Ocean Floor
Most of the ocean is dark, flat area called the Abyssal plain
Ocean trench is a large V-shaped valley
Mid-ocean ridges are underwater mountain ranges
Some of the mountain ranges reach above the water to form islands.
Ocean floor mapping video

7. Ocean Composition
Most of the Earth’s water is not drinkable (potable) because of the salt.
Why can’t we drink salt water?
Even though the ocean is fed by fresh water, because of the salt left behind in evaporation, the fresh water quickly becomes salty.
Underwater volcanoes also add salt.
Why is ocean water salty?

8. Ocean Composition Salinity The saltiness of a body of water
In an ocean, it averages about 3.5%
This means that about 3-4% of the water is made up of dissolved salt
Rather than H2O only for the water, it is actually:
H2O with about 3-4% NaCl
Salinity levels are lower where fresh water flows into the ocean and higher where there is a greater rate of evaporation
Such as near the Equator

9. Ocean Resources
The ocean has been used as a source of food for centuries.
Fishing is a major industry in North Carolina
Swordfish
Tuna
Flounder
Shrimp
Crab
Oysters
Scallops

10. Ocean Resources Food resources are often threatened by pollution
The release of an unwanted substance into the environment
Oil spills
Taking too many resources before they can reproduces is called Overfishing
Sustainable Resources

11. Marine Ecosystems and Estuaries
Almost half of the known species on Earth live in the ocean
That number could be greater due to the vast unknown of the ocean depths
Ocean Depths

12. The Ocean’s Producers
Marine (Ocean) producers are important to all life on Earth
Main producers are algae and phytoplankton
They live in the upper regions of the ocean and get enough light for photosynthesis
Light can not reach deeper into the ocean so there are no producers at deeper levels.
Marine food web

13. The Ocean’s Producers Marine Organisms Benthos Nekton Plankton
The flora and fauna found on the bottom, or in the bottom sediments, of a sea, lake, or other body of water.
Nekton
Aquatic animals that are able to swim and move independently of water currents
Plankton
Microscopic organisms that float freely with oceanic currents and in other bodies of water.
Plankton is made up of tiny plants (called phytoplankton) and tiny animals (called zooplankton).

14. The Ocean’s Producers
Populations of producers can be affected by ocean currents
These are called Upwellings
Carries cold water from the deep in the ocean up the surface
This water is rich in nutrients from the ocean floor
Producers use the nutrients to increase populations

15. Marine Ecosystems There are three major ecosystems The Shore
The Open Ocean
The Deep Ocean
Really annoying but very informative video!

16. Marine Ecosystems The Shore The part of the ocean nearest the land
With shallow water, light can reach the bottom of the ocean
Waves create a lot of motion in this area moving sand and mud
This creates Sediment deposits
Naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is transported by the action of wind, water, or ice until deposited through gravity.
Tides rise and fall and some creatures thrive such as clams, mussels and worms

17. Marine Ecosystems Photic Zone Ocean Photic Zones Video
Surface layer of the ocean that receives sunlight.
Euphotic Zone
The uppermost 80 m (260 feet) or more of the ocean, which is sufficiently illuminated to permit photosynthesis by phytoplankton and plants.
Ocean Photic Zones Video
(Volume may need to be raised)

18. Marine Ecosystems The Open Ocean
The vast area of top ocean level that expands from shore to shore
This expands as deep as light is allowed to filter down
The sun warms the water at these depths
Light is bright enough for photosynthesis
Some of the organisms that thrive here are jellyfish, fish and squid

19. Marine Ecosystems The Deep Ocean
Thousands of meters below the ocean’s surface
The water is very cold
Openings in the ocean floor release heat called Hydrothermal Vents
Small ecosystems exist around these vents
They rely on organisms called autotrophs that make their own food No light filters down so photosynthesis can not take place
Because of this, Chemosynthesis takes place
Process of using energy stored in chemical bonds instead of sunlight to produce food

20. Marine Ecosystems Carbonic Acid
A chemical compound with the chemical formula H₂CO₃.
It is also a name sometimes given to solutions of carbon dioxide in water, because such solutions contain small amounts of H₂CO₃.

21. Estuaries
Estuary
A body of water in which freshwater from a river meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean
Known as inlets, bays, harbors, lagoons and sounds
Examples are Boston Harbor, Chesapeake Bay, Pamlico Sound, and Albemarle Sound
Salinity levels change based upon tides, wind direction and storms

22. Estuaries Often protected from ocean waves by land features. Reservoir
Barrier Islands, Reefs, Sand spits
Rich in nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and minerals
Can be used a nurseries for many animals including some ocean animals that come to breed
Reservoir
A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.

23. Neuse River Kayaking Lower Neuse River 1 Lower Neuse River 2
Rachel Carson Reserve