How the Ocean Works

by Denny, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780691126470
• ISBN10: 069112647X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-01
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

The world's oceans account for roughly 71 percent of the planet's surface and 99 percent of its livable volume. Any study of this huge habitat requires a solid foundation in the principles that underlie marine biology and physical and chemical oceanography, yet until now undergraduate textbooks have largely presented compilations of facts rather than explanations of principles.How the Ocean Worksfills this gap, providing a concise and accessible college-level introduction to marine science that is also ideal for general readers. How are winds and currents driven? What is the dilemma of the two-layered ocean? Mark Denny explains key concepts like these in rich and fascinating detail. He explores early scientific knowledge of oceans, photosynthesis, trophic interactions and energy flow, and the impacts of human activities on marine and atmospheric systems. Focusing each chapter on a major topic and carefully explaining the principles and theory involved, Denny gives readers the conceptual building blocks needed to develop a coherent picture of the living ocean.How the Ocean Worksis an indispensable resource that teaches readers how to think about the ocean--its biology, mechanics, and conservation. Provides a concise, up-to-date introduction to marine science Develops the conceptual basis needed to understand how the ocean works Explains fundamental principles and theory Includes color illustrations and informative diagrams Serves as a college textbook and a reference for general readers

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. ix
List of Tables	p. xiii
Preface	p. xv
Discovering the Oceans	p. 1
Ocean Basins	p. 33
Seawater	p. 54
Photosynthesis and Primary Production	p. 68
The Flow of Energy, Carbon, and Nutrients	p. 106
The Dilemma of the Two-Layered Ocean	p. 145
The Coriolis Effect and Its Consequences	p. 173
Winds and Currents	p. 204
Solutions to the Dilemma	p. 233
Complexity: Carbon, Iron, and the Atmosphere	p. 251
Fisheries	p. 276
An Invitation	p. 299
Index	p. 305
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