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The ocean is one of Earth’s most valuable natural resources. It provides food in the form of fish and shellfish—about 200 billion pounds are caught each year. It’s used for transportation—both travel and shipping. It provides a treasured source of recreation for humans. It is mined for minerals (salt, sand, gravel, and some 1)manganese, copper, 2)nickel, iron, and
3)cobalt can be found in the deep sea) and drilled for
4)crude oil.
The ocean plays a critical role in removing carbon from the atmosphere and providing oxygen. It regulates Earth’s climate. The ocean is an increasingly important source of 5)biomedical organisms with enormous potential for fighting disease. These are just a few examples of the importance of the ocean to life on land. Explore them in greater detail to understand why we must keep the ocean healthy for future generations.
6)Hydrothermal 7)Vents
Most of us are familiar with “Old Faithful” in Yellowstone National Park. This famous geyser erupts several times a day. It spouts a column of water heated by 8)volcanic rock deep within the Earth’s 9)crust.
A hydrothermal vent is a geyser on the seafloor. It continuously 10)spews super-hot, mineral-rich water that helps support a diverse community of organisms. Although most of the deep sea is 11)sparsely populated, vent sites 12)teem with a fascinating array of life.
13)Tubeworms and huge 14)clams are the most distinctive inhabitants of Pacific Ocean vent sites, while eyeless shrimp are found only at vents in the Atlantic Ocean.
There are many reasons why scientists want to learn more about hydrothermal vents. These underwater geysers are believed to play an important role in the ocean’s temperature, chemistry, and circulation patterns. Scientists also are fascinated by the unusual life that inhabits vent sites. These creatures that live in darkness, from bacteria to tubeworms, may light the way to the development of new drugs, industrial processes, and other products useful to us all.
Ocean 15)Turbines
Covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is the world’s largest 16)untapped, renewable energy resource. It produces both mechanical energy from its tides and waves and thermal energy from the sun’s heat. As new technologies are developed, ocean resources will be able to meet many of the world’s energy needs. Experts estimate that 0.2 percent of the ocean’s untapped energy could power the entire world.
Of all the renewable energy technologies, 17)tidal power is the most predictable and reliable. They are also dispatchable because they can increase and/or decrease output quickly on demand. Twice a day, the
18)gravitational pull of the moon causes water to flow in from the ocean on strong flood tides and flow out again on equally powerful 19)ebb tides. Tides occur reliably, independent of weather and climate change and they follow predictable 20)lunar orbits known many years in advance.
Ocean thermal energy is created when the sun’s heat warms the surface water, while the deep ocean water remains cold. In tropical regions, the surface water can be more than 40 degrees warmer than the deep water. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a method of generating electricity by taking advantage of this vast temperature difference. OTEC has been used successfully in Hawaii since 1974.
Rare Creatures from the Deep
During more than 300 hours of diving—using Isis, the UK’s deepest diving remotely operated vehicle (ROV), to depths of between 700m right down to 3,600m—researchers have surveyed flat plains, cliff faces and slopes of the giant mountain range that divides the Atlantic Ocean into two halves—east and west.
Professor Monty Priede, Director of the University of Aberdeen’s Ocean lab, said: “We were surprised at how different the animals were on either side of the ridge which is just tens of miles apart. In the west the cliffs faced east, and in the east the cliffs faced west. The 21)terrain looked the same, mirror images of each other, but that is where the similarity ended. It seemed like we were in a scene from Through the Looking Glass. In the north-east, sea 22)urchins were dominant on the flat plains and the cliffs were colorful and rich with 23)sponges, corals and other life. In the north-west, the cliffs were dull grey bare rock with much less life. The north-west plains were the home of deep-sea 24)enteropneusta 25)acorn worms. Only a few 26)specimens, from the Pacific Ocean, were previously known to science.
“These worms are members of a little-known group of animals close to 27)the missing link in evolution between 28)backboned and 29)invertebrate animals. The creatures were observed feeding and leaving characteristic spiral traces on the sea floor. They have no eyes, no obvious sense organs or brain but there is a head end, tail end and the primitive body plan of backboned animals is established. One was observed showing 30)rudimentary swimming behavior. By the end of the expedition three different species were discovered each with a different color—pink, purple and white—with distinctly different shapes.
“This expedition has revolutionized our thinking about deep-sea life in the Atlantic Ocean. It shows that we cannot just study what lives around the edges of the ocean and ignore the vast array of animals living on the slopes and valleys in the middle of the ocean.”
海洋是地球上最宝贵的自然资源之一。它为我们提供食物，包括鱼类和贝类，每年从海洋捕获到的鱼、贝有近2000亿磅重。它被用作交通运输，满足出行和货运的需要。它为人类的休闲娱乐提供宝贵资源。它还有丰富矿产可供开采（人们在深海中发现了盐、沙、石及部分锰、铜、镍、铁、钴等物质）和原油。
海洋在除碳制氧方面发挥着重要作用，并调节着地球气候。它日益成为生物医学有机体的重要来源，为疾病治疗带来广阔的前景。在此聊举数例以述海洋对陆地生命的重要性。下文将更为深入地探究海洋世界，让人们更清楚地认识到我们为后代留存一个健康海洋的必要性。
深海热泉
很多人都熟知美国黄石国家公园的“老忠实喷泉”。这口著名的喷泉每天喷发数次，源自地壳深处火山岩的热泉水喷涌而出。
深海热泉位于深海海床，它持续喷涌出富含矿物质的温度极高的水，有助于维持海中有机体的多样性。大多深海海域了无生机，然而在深海热泉区却有着许多迷人的生物群。多毛虫和大蚌是太平洋深海热泉区的两大特色栖居动物，而无眼虾则是大西洋热泉区的独有生物。
科学家们对深海热泉进行深度探索缘自众多原因。他们相信这些水下喷泉很大程度上影响了海洋的温度、化学性质及循环模式。他们还被栖息于热泉区的特别生命体所深深吸引。这些生活在黑暗中的生物，从细菌到多毛虫，可能会为未来的新型药物、工业加工及其他有用产品的发展拓宽道路。
海洋潮汐发电涡轮
海洋覆盖了地球表面超过70%的面积，是地球上最大的未开发可再生能源资源。它能通过潮汐和海浪产生机械能，通过太阳照射产生热能。随着新技术的发展，海洋资源将可满足世界的许多能源需求。专家们估计海洋未开发资源中的0.2%便可满足全世界的能源需求。
在所有可再生的能源技术中，潮汐能是最容易预测和最稳定的。而且潮汐能是可配送的能源，因为它的产出量可迅速根据需求进行调整。月球引力使海洋每天两次产生强大的涨潮和退潮。潮汐的发生不受天气和气候干扰，稳定可靠。它们与可预测的月球运行同步，可提前许多年预知。
海洋热能的产生是因为阳光加热了海洋表面的海水，而深海域却仍保持低温状态。在热带地区，海洋表面的温度可比深海域高出40多度。海洋温差发电（OTEC）就是一种通过巨大的海洋温差来产生电力的发电方法。自1974年起，夏威夷就成功地利用了海洋温差能来发电。
深海域的珍稀生物
研究人员耗时300多个小时，利用英国最深的潜水远程操作工具（ROV）——伊西斯号，潜入海底700米到3600米处，对将大西洋分成东西两半的巨大山脉在海中的平台面、崖面和坡面进行考察。
亚伯丁大学海洋实验室主任蒙特·普利亚德教授说：“我们惊奇地发现山脊两边相隔不过几十英里，但生物的差异性却非常大。西边崖面向东和东边崖面向西，地形看上去一模一样，犹如镜子的两面，但它们的相似性也就仅此而已。我们犹如置身于《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》中的‘镜中奇景’里。在东北边，平原的主要生物是海胆，山崖上生有众多色彩缤纷的海绵动物、珊瑚和其他生物。而在西北边，山崖上只有光秃秃的暗灰色岩石，生物远没有（东北边）那么多。西北部的平原则是肠鳃纲生物玉钩虫的栖息之所。在此之前，科学家们仅凭从太平洋取得的少量样本中得知这种生物。
“这些虫是鲜为人知的一组动物成员，它们所属的种类接近于脊椎动物和无脊椎动物之间的进化链上缺失的一环。我们观测到了这种生物的进食情况，并发现它们在海床上留下了螺旋特征。它们没有眼睛，没有明显的感觉器官或脑器官，但有头尾之分，而且有着已经成型的原始脊椎动物的基本身体结构。其中一只还被观察到有原始的游泳行为。这次探测考察最终发现了三种不同种类的玉钩虫，每种的颜色各不相同，分别是粉红色、紫色和白色，而且形状也有明显差异。
“此次探测项目彻底改变了我们对大西洋深海海洋生命的认识。它表明，我们不能只研究海洋边界的生物而忽略了大陆架和海洋中央深谷里浩瀚的动物群。”
3)cobalt can be found in the deep sea) and drilled for
4)crude oil.
The ocean plays a critical role in removing carbon from the atmosphere and providing oxygen. It regulates Earth’s climate. The ocean is an increasingly important source of 5)biomedical organisms with enormous potential for fighting disease. These are just a few examples of the importance of the ocean to life on land. Explore them in greater detail to understand why we must keep the ocean healthy for future generations.
6)Hydrothermal 7)Vents
Most of us are familiar with “Old Faithful” in Yellowstone National Park. This famous geyser erupts several times a day. It spouts a column of water heated by 8)volcanic rock deep within the Earth’s 9)crust.
A hydrothermal vent is a geyser on the seafloor. It continuously 10)spews super-hot, mineral-rich water that helps support a diverse community of organisms. Although most of the deep sea is 11)sparsely populated, vent sites 12)teem with a fascinating array of life.
13)Tubeworms and huge 14)clams are the most distinctive inhabitants of Pacific Ocean vent sites, while eyeless shrimp are found only at vents in the Atlantic Ocean.
There are many reasons why scientists want to learn more about hydrothermal vents. These underwater geysers are believed to play an important role in the ocean’s temperature, chemistry, and circulation patterns. Scientists also are fascinated by the unusual life that inhabits vent sites. These creatures that live in darkness, from bacteria to tubeworms, may light the way to the development of new drugs, industrial processes, and other products useful to us all.
Ocean 15)Turbines
Covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is the world’s largest 16)untapped, renewable energy resource. It produces both mechanical energy from its tides and waves and thermal energy from the sun’s heat. As new technologies are developed, ocean resources will be able to meet many of the world’s energy needs. Experts estimate that 0.2 percent of the ocean’s untapped energy could power the entire world.
Of all the renewable energy technologies, 17)tidal power is the most predictable and reliable. They are also dispatchable because they can increase and/or decrease output quickly on demand. Twice a day, the
18)gravitational pull of the moon causes water to flow in from the ocean on strong flood tides and flow out again on equally powerful 19)ebb tides. Tides occur reliably, independent of weather and climate change and they follow predictable 20)lunar orbits known many years in advance.
Ocean thermal energy is created when the sun’s heat warms the surface water, while the deep ocean water remains cold. In tropical regions, the surface water can be more than 40 degrees warmer than the deep water. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a method of generating electricity by taking advantage of this vast temperature difference. OTEC has been used successfully in Hawaii since 1974.
Rare Creatures from the Deep
During more than 300 hours of diving—using Isis, the UK’s deepest diving remotely operated vehicle (ROV), to depths of between 700m right down to 3,600m—researchers have surveyed flat plains, cliff faces and slopes of the giant mountain range that divides the Atlantic Ocean into two halves—east and west.
Professor Monty Priede, Director of the University of Aberdeen’s Ocean lab, said: “We were surprised at how different the animals were on either side of the ridge which is just tens of miles apart. In the west the cliffs faced east, and in the east the cliffs faced west. The 21)terrain looked the same, mirror images of each other, but that is where the similarity ended. It seemed like we were in a scene from Through the Looking Glass. In the north-east, sea 22)urchins were dominant on the flat plains and the cliffs were colorful and rich with 23)sponges, corals and other life. In the north-west, the cliffs were dull grey bare rock with much less life. The north-west plains were the home of deep-sea 24)enteropneusta 25)acorn worms. Only a few 26)specimens, from the Pacific Ocean, were previously known to science.
“These worms are members of a little-known group of animals close to 27)the missing link in evolution between 28)backboned and 29)invertebrate animals. The creatures were observed feeding and leaving characteristic spiral traces on the sea floor. They have no eyes, no obvious sense organs or brain but there is a head end, tail end and the primitive body plan of backboned animals is established. One was observed showing 30)rudimentary swimming behavior. By the end of the expedition three different species were discovered each with a different color—pink, purple and white—with distinctly different shapes.
“This expedition has revolutionized our thinking about deep-sea life in the Atlantic Ocean. It shows that we cannot just study what lives around the edges of the ocean and ignore the vast array of animals living on the slopes and valleys in the middle of the ocean.”
海洋是地球上最宝贵的自然资源之一。它为我们提供食物，包括鱼类和贝类，每年从海洋捕获到的鱼、贝有近2000亿磅重。它被用作交通运输，满足出行和货运的需要。它为人类的休闲娱乐提供宝贵资源。它还有丰富矿产可供开采（人们在深海中发现了盐、沙、石及部分锰、铜、镍、铁、钴等物质）和原油。
海洋在除碳制氧方面发挥着重要作用，并调节着地球气候。它日益成为生物医学有机体的重要来源，为疾病治疗带来广阔的前景。在此聊举数例以述海洋对陆地生命的重要性。下文将更为深入地探究海洋世界，让人们更清楚地认识到我们为后代留存一个健康海洋的必要性。
深海热泉
很多人都熟知美国黄石国家公园的“老忠实喷泉”。这口著名的喷泉每天喷发数次，源自地壳深处火山岩的热泉水喷涌而出。
深海热泉位于深海海床，它持续喷涌出富含矿物质的温度极高的水，有助于维持海中有机体的多样性。大多深海海域了无生机，然而在深海热泉区却有着许多迷人的生物群。多毛虫和大蚌是太平洋深海热泉区的两大特色栖居动物，而无眼虾则是大西洋热泉区的独有生物。
科学家们对深海热泉进行深度探索缘自众多原因。他们相信这些水下喷泉很大程度上影响了海洋的温度、化学性质及循环模式。他们还被栖息于热泉区的特别生命体所深深吸引。这些生活在黑暗中的生物，从细菌到多毛虫，可能会为未来的新型药物、工业加工及其他有用产品的发展拓宽道路。
海洋潮汐发电涡轮
海洋覆盖了地球表面超过70%的面积，是地球上最大的未开发可再生能源资源。它能通过潮汐和海浪产生机械能，通过太阳照射产生热能。随着新技术的发展，海洋资源将可满足世界的许多能源需求。专家们估计海洋未开发资源中的0.2%便可满足全世界的能源需求。
在所有可再生的能源技术中，潮汐能是最容易预测和最稳定的。而且潮汐能是可配送的能源，因为它的产出量可迅速根据需求进行调整。月球引力使海洋每天两次产生强大的涨潮和退潮。潮汐的发生不受天气和气候干扰，稳定可靠。它们与可预测的月球运行同步，可提前许多年预知。
海洋热能的产生是因为阳光加热了海洋表面的海水，而深海域却仍保持低温状态。在热带地区，海洋表面的温度可比深海域高出40多度。海洋温差发电（OTEC）就是一种通过巨大的海洋温差来产生电力的发电方法。自1974年起，夏威夷就成功地利用了海洋温差能来发电。
深海域的珍稀生物
研究人员耗时300多个小时，利用英国最深的潜水远程操作工具（ROV）——伊西斯号，潜入海底700米到3600米处，对将大西洋分成东西两半的巨大山脉在海中的平台面、崖面和坡面进行考察。
亚伯丁大学海洋实验室主任蒙特·普利亚德教授说：“我们惊奇地发现山脊两边相隔不过几十英里，但生物的差异性却非常大。西边崖面向东和东边崖面向西，地形看上去一模一样，犹如镜子的两面，但它们的相似性也就仅此而已。我们犹如置身于《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》中的‘镜中奇景’里。在东北边，平原的主要生物是海胆，山崖上生有众多色彩缤纷的海绵动物、珊瑚和其他生物。而在西北边，山崖上只有光秃秃的暗灰色岩石，生物远没有（东北边）那么多。西北部的平原则是肠鳃纲生物玉钩虫的栖息之所。在此之前，科学家们仅凭从太平洋取得的少量样本中得知这种生物。
“这些虫是鲜为人知的一组动物成员，它们所属的种类接近于脊椎动物和无脊椎动物之间的进化链上缺失的一环。我们观测到了这种生物的进食情况，并发现它们在海床上留下了螺旋特征。它们没有眼睛，没有明显的感觉器官或脑器官，但有头尾之分，而且有着已经成型的原始脊椎动物的基本身体结构。其中一只还被观察到有原始的游泳行为。这次探测考察最终发现了三种不同种类的玉钩虫，每种的颜色各不相同，分别是粉红色、紫色和白色，而且形状也有明显差异。
“此次探测项目彻底改变了我们对大西洋深海海洋生命的认识。它表明，我们不能只研究海洋边界的生物而忽略了大陆架和海洋中央深谷里浩瀚的动物群。”