Coral reef habitat: A fisherman tries his luck with a simple net in American Samoa.
Image courtesy of Kip F. Evans
Ocean Literacy - Essential Principle 4
The ocean makes Earth habitable.
Fundamental Concept 4a.
Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere originally came from the activities of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean.
Fundamental Concept 4b.
The first life is thought to have started in the ocean. The earliest evidence of life is found in the ocean.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
The Winter 2009 issue of The Earth Scientist
, focuses on Earth System science, including articles on student inquiry, differentiated instruction, geomorphic concepts, the rock cycle, and much more!
You might also be interested in:
Oxygen is a chemical element with an atomic number of 8 (it has eight protons in its nucleus). Oxygen forms a chemical compound (O2) of two atoms which is a colorless gas at normal temperatures and pressures....more
Photosynthesis is the name of the process by which autotrophs (self-feeders) convert water, carbon dioxide, and solar energy into sugars and oxygen. It is a complex chemical process by which plants and...more
Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Ocean Science The Earth's ocean covers about 71% of the planet's surface with saline waters. Ocean currents flow continuously, exchanging nutrients and...more
Earth's atmosphere and humans are inextricably linked. Fundamental Concept 7.1 Most living organisms on Earth are dependent on Earth's atmosphere and its processes for survival. We require oxygen for breathing;...more
Earth's atmosphere changes over time and space, giving rise to weather and climate. Fundamental Concept 4.1 Weather is the state of Earth's atmosphere at a particular place and time. The climate of a particular...more
We seek to understand past, present, and future behavior of Earth's atmosphere through scientific observation and reasoning. Fundamental Concept 6.1 Our understanding of Earth's atmosphere comes from analysis,...more
Earth has a thin atmosphere that sustains life. Fundamental Concept 1.1 Earth's atmosphere is a mixture of gases with small, but important, quantities of liquid and solid particles. Fundamental Concept...more