Contents Introduction One Planet One Ocean Legends of the Seas Voyage to the Deep Underwater Worlds Deltas Salt Marshes and Mangroves Kelp Forests Polar Seas Marine Life Animals as Big as a Bus Unusual Friendships Girl Fish Boy Fish Making Sounds Masters of Disguise Ocean Wanderers Ocean in Peril How to Protect the Ocean So Much More to Explore Glossary Index 4 8 10 14 24 28 30 32 36 38 40 46 50 52 54 56 62 66 68 71
Introduction More than two thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by seawater Planet Earth isn’t exactly a fitting name for the world we live in It should really be called Planet Ocean As the largest habitat on Earth the ocean is home to millions of animals and plants These range from microscopic organisms to the largest animal ever to have lived the blue whale The ocean also drives Earth’s climate and weather patterns Seawater absorbs the sun’s heat and the ocean currents spread it across the globe Now take a breath Take another breath Did you know that more than half of the oxygen in our atmosphere comes from the ocean enough for every second breath we take This oxygen gas is produced by tiny marine organisms that live near the water’s surface They use sunlight and carbon dioxide gas to produce energy This process photosynthesis also releases the oxygen we breathe These marine organisms release more oxygen than all the trees grasses and other land plants combined They also form the foundation of nearly all ocean food chains
Humans need air to breathe water to drink food to eat and the right climate to live in Most of these come from or are brought to us by the ocean This means that no matter how far you are from the shore the ocean affects your life and your life affects the ocean too Water is essential to all life on Earth Every cell in our bodies needs water in order to function and stay healthy On average 60 percent of a human adult is made up of water This is true for most animals as well But the ocean is much more than just a vast expanse of water From bright and beautiful coral reefs to undersea forests from swampy coastal marshes to icy polar seas the ocean hosts some of the most diverse habitats on our planet Each provides food and shelter to a huge variety of marine life And far below the water’s surface we also find mountains and volcanoes There is even life at the bottom of the ocean where strange creatures have learned to live in the pitch-black dark Their unusual body structures help them survive freezing waters and extreme pressure These are truly extreme conditions to get used to
