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Kelp forest in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and National Park.

Some seaweeds are microscopic, such as the phytoplankton that live suspended in the water column and provide the base for most marine food chains. Some are enormous, like the giant kelp that grow in abundant "forests" and tower like underwater redwoods from their roots at the bottom of the sea. Most are medium-sized, come in colors of red, green, brown, and black, and randomly wash up on beaches and shorelines just about everywhere.

The vernacular "seaweed" is a bona-fide misnomer, because a weed is a plant that spreads so profusely it can harm the habitat where it takes hold. (Consider kudzu, the infamous "mile-a-minute vine" that chokes waterways throughout the U.S. Southeast). Not only are the fixed and free-floating "weeds" of the sea utterly essential to innumerable marine creatures, both as food and as habitat, they also provide many benefits to land-dwellers, notably those of the human variety.

Seaweed is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and can be tasty. For at least 1,500 years, the Japanese have enrobed a mixture of raw fish, sticky rice, and other ingredients in a seaweed called nori. The delectable result is a sushi roll.

Many seaweeds contain anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agents. Their known medicinal effects have been legion for thousands of years; the ancient Romans used them to treat wounds, burns, and rashes. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that the ancient Egyptians may have used them as a treatment for breast cancer.

Certain seaweeds do, in fact, possess powerful cancer-fighting agents that researchers hope will eventually prove effective in the treatment of malignant tumors and leukemia in people. While dietary soy was long credited for the low rate of cancer in Japan, this indicator of robust health is now attributed to dietary seaweed.

These versatile marine plants and algae have also contributed to economic growth. Among their many uses in manufacturing, they are effective binding agents (emulsifiers) in such commercial goods as toothpaste and fruit jelly, and popular softeners (emollients) in organic cosmetics and skin-care products.

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national oceanic and atmospheric administration

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Seaweed is the common name for countless species of marine plants and algae that grow in the ocean as well as in rivers, lakes, and other water bodies

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Enjoy our awesome range of Earth facts for kids. Check out the cool trivia and have fun learning about some of our planet's most amazing features.

Fun Ocean Facts

Check out these fun ocean facts for kids and learn more about the regions of water that cover much of the Earth's surface. Enjoy a range of interesting facts about the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans as well as information relating to marine life, historical events and amazing statistics.

Around 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans.

The world's oceans contain enough water to fill a cube with edges over 1000 kilometres (621 miles) in length.

Ocean tides are caused by the Earth rotating while the Moon and Sun's gravitational pull acts on ocean water.

While there are hundreds of thousands of known marine life forms, there are many that are yet to be discovered, some scientists suggest that there could actually be millions of marine life forms out there.

Oceans are frequently used as a means of transport with various companies shipping their products across oceans from one port to another.

The largest ocean on Earth is the Pacific Ocean, it covers around 30% of the Earth's surface.

The Pacific Ocean's name has an original meaning of 'peaceful sea'.

Located to the east of the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench is the deepest known area of Earth's oceans. It has a deepest point of around 11000 metres (36000 feet).

The Pacific Ocean contains around 25000 different islands, many more than are found in Earth's other oceans.

The Pacific Ocean is surrounded by the Pacific Ring of Fire, a large number of active volcanoes.

The second largest ocean on Earth is the Atlantic Ocean, it covers over 21% of the Earth's surface.

The Atlantic Ocean's name refers to Atlas of Greek mythology.

The Bermuda Triangle is located in the Atlantic Ocean, check out our Bermuda Triangle mystery facts.

Amelia Earhart became the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932.

The third largest ocean on Earth is the Indian Ocean, it covers around 14% of the Earth's surface.

During winter the Arctic Ocean is almost completely covered in sea ice.

While some disagree on whether it is an ocean or just part of larger oceans, the Southern Ocean includes the area of water that encircles Antarctica.

Learn more with our facts about rivers, lakes, seas and beaches.

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Fun Ocean Facts for Kids - Interesting Facts about the Pacific, Atlantic & Indian Oceans

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Enjoy our awesome range of Earth facts for kids. Check out the cool trivia and have fun learning about some of our planet's most amazing features. Fun Ocean Facts Check out these fun ocean facts for kids and learn more about the regions of water that cover much of the Earth's surface.

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what are the effects of pollution the ocean  habitat

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what are the effects of pollution the ocean  habitat

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Source: Torben Lonne /

The world's oceans are a magical, diverse and abundant ecosystem that mankind needs in order to survive.

The oceans cover over 72 percent of the planet's surface, provide over 97 percent of the world's water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

We have so much to thank the oceans for; however, they are threatened daily by natural and manmade pollution. Ocean pollution comes in many forms, but the largest factor affecting the oceans is plastic.

Over the last decade, we have produced more plastic than we have in the last 100 years. This sharp increase in plastic entering our waters harms not only marine life but also humanity.

Plastic kills fish, birds, marine mammals and sea turtles, destroys habitats and even affects animals' mating rituals, which can have devastating consequences and can wipe out entire species.

Learn more about ocean pollution and how it affects marine life and humanity with the infographic below.

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How Ocean Pollution Impacts Marine Life-and All of Us - MarineSafe

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Source: Torben Lonne / AlterNet The world's oceans are a magical, diverse and abundant ecosystem that mankind needs in order to survive. The oceans cover over 72 percent of the planet's surface, provide over 97 percent of the world's water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

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what are the effects of pollution on the ocean habitats

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what are the effects of pollution on the ocean habitats

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Pollution comes in many forms and impacts a wide variety of creatures. The effects of land, air and water pollution on animals and birds can be devastating. Pollution created by human activity factors into the decline of many threatened or endangered species, and also adversely impacts humans, fisheries, tourism and more.

Amphibians such as frogs and salamanders are the poster child for the negative effects of water pollution because they have such incredibly sensitive skin. They have the unique ability to absorb oxygen through their skin, but this also leaves them susceptible to absorbing dangerous chemicals as well.

Pesticides, nitrogen-based fertilizers and heavy metal contaminants all pose a direct danger to these creatures. These pollutants often find their way into water systems via runoff after heavy rain. In addition to directly killing amphibians, these pollutants can also weaken their immune system (as may have been the case in the extinction of the Monteverde golden toad) and cause physical deformities or abnormalities.

Amphibians are far from the only animals affected by pollution in water. Fish and invertebrates also end up with these contaminants in their systems as well. Though small amounts might not kill the fish, those chemicals stay in their system. This poses a danger to the predators in the food web, such as birds of prey.

Peregrine Falcons showed this danger explicitly when their populations plummeted due to the use of the pesticide DDT. The birds fed on fish and small mammals affected by DDT in their environment, and the chemicals within their prey built up inside the falcons through ​ bioaccumulation ​. This caused sickness in Peregrine Falcons and weak eggshells in breeding females; reproductive success plummeted, and the birds became an endangered species.

Outlawing DDT and similar pesticides resulted in a successful population recovery of this species and removal from the endangered species list.

Birds of prey are not the only predators impacted by the bioaccumulation of pollutants. Sea lions and other marine mammals are yet another example of animals affected by pollution. In the case of sea lions, fertilizer runoff results in harmful algal blooms. This algae releases a neurotoxin known as domoic acid. Fish eat this harmful algae and accumulate it in their bodies, and the sea lions eat the fish.

Through bioaccumulation, the sea lions ingest high levels of toxic domoic acid, resulting in domoic acid toxicosis. The condition causes neurological issues, seizures, aborted pregnancy, and if untreated, death. Decreasing pesticide and fertilizer use can reduce harmful algal blooms and protect sea lions and their entire ecosystem.

Sea lions and other marine mammals are far from the only sea creatures impacted by oceanic pollution, and chemical pollution is absolutely not the only dangerous form of ocean pollution. ​ Marine debris ​ also poses a danger to many different animals in the ocean - this term refers to any man-made object that has been discarded and found its way into the ocean.

Many different types of marine debris cause harm to oceanic animals. Marine mammals, birds, turtles and sharks often become entangled in discarded fishing gear such as nets and lines. Plastic objects get mistaken for food items, and many animals ingest them. Plastic bags are a particularly troublesome form of marine debris.

Sea turtles in particular ingest large amounts of plastic debris. Plastic bags pose a problem in particular because they look similar to jellyfish or algae, the primary prey to some sea turtle species. In fact, researchers believe that over half of the world's sea turtles have consumed plastic at one time or another.

Ingesting plastic can result in decreased ability to digest foods and intestinal blockage. The plastic generally cannot pass through their system and typically results in death unless treated. Recycling plastics can help reduce the amount of marine debris in the oceans and protect sea turtles and other wildlife.

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The effects of pollution on animals and birds can be devastating. From chemical pollutants to marine debris, pollution impacts the planet's ecosystems in a variety of harmful ways. Pollution causes damage to many different animals, including tiny frogs, pregnant sea lions and endangered sea turtles.

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Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic | Short Film Showcase

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Source: Torben Lonne /

The world's oceans are a magical, diverse and abundant ecosystem that mankind needs in order to survive.

The oceans cover over 72 percent of the planet's surface, provide over 97 percent of the world's water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

We have so much to thank the oceans for; however, they are threatened daily by natural and manmade pollution. Ocean pollution comes in many forms, but the largest factor affecting the oceans is plastic.

Over the last decade, we have produced more plastic than we have in the last 100 years. This sharp increase in plastic entering our waters harms not only marine life but also humanity.

Plastic kills fish, birds, marine mammals and sea turtles, destroys habitats and even affects animals' mating rituals, which can have devastating consequences and can wipe out entire species.

Learn more about ocean pollution and how it affects marine life and humanity with the infographic below.

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How Ocean Pollution Impacts Marine Life-and All of Us - MarineSafe

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Source: Torben Lonne / AlterNet The world's oceans are a magical, diverse and abundant ecosystem that mankind needs in order to survive. The oceans cover over 72 percent of the planet's surface, provide over 97 percent of the world's water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

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What zone does the great white shark live in?

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What zone does the great white shark live in?

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Ocean ecosystem is one of the examples of this Earth's great diversity of life and habitats. This great variety is influenced by geographical, climate, or the physical factors of the ocean itself. Ocean has an average depth of 3,800 meters and that volume is the home to unique organisms. Throughout this article, we can know more about what are the things that build an ocean ecosystem. Furthermore, we will understand about a different unique ecosystem that is affected by the depth of the ocean and how those unique organisms interact with each other through ocean ecosystem food chain. (See also: Ocean Environment )
Ocean Ecosystem
Pelagic zone, or as we know as the ocean ecosystem, is the largest collective ecosystem on the planet. It accounts for around 71% of this planet's surface and almost of it is water which interestingly contains enough water to fill a cube with over 1000 kilometers in length. The realm of ocean has the greatest depth and volume of any living zone on Earth. The region of Deep Ocean Ecosystems includes the region above continental shelf (neritic province) and the region beyond (oceanic province). The diversity of the habitats are caused by the gradations of light, temperature, water chemistry, nutrient content and also pressure.

Ocean ecosystem includes open oceans and shoreline habitats, plants and animals. Though scientists have spent decades to discover the complete marine life forms, there are still many that are yet to be discovered. Most of those that are consisted in the ecosystem live in the euphotic zone, although we can also find life from the top to the bottom of the oceans. Euphotic zone is a zone or region where the photosynthesis is available due to the enough sunlight coming to that certain depth of the water. (See also: Ocean Natural Resources)

Besides that, ocean ecosystem depends and needs nutrients, which come from the rising of the cold currents that are rich in nutrients to the ocean surface from the bottom of the deep ocean and from the neritic, areas where water washes off land. The quantity of the nutrients also determine the abundance of the organisms, the more nutrients found in that ocean region, the more organisms are there also. (See also: Waves in Ocean)

One of the examples of the most productive (rich in nutrients) body of water is the west coast of South America. Here, the large population of phytoplankton is supported by the abundance of the nutrients. As primary sources increase, the fish population increases, the opposite also applies, such as the aftermath of the El Nino event in Peru when the fish population decreases significantly or if worsen by the overfishing, may collapse.

See also:
Division
Ocean ecosystem are made up of a community of living and non-living things, it consists of shoreline habitats, plants and animals. They support the life of one another and dependent towards one another. These are the major parts of ocean ecosystem.

1. Shoreline Habitats

Shoreline habitats are consisted of mud flats, coral reefs, barrier island, estuaries, flat marshes and mangrove forests. Coral reefs and mangrove forests are two types of specialized Deep Ocean Ecosystems. The reason behind this is because of their high productivity, they are the living zone for a unique and diverse plants and animals.
a. Coral Reefs
Inside the ocean ecosystem, coral reefs ecosystems are considered the most diverse on the planet. Coral reefs are the most dominant ecosystem among any shallow water Deep Ocean Ecosystems.

It comprises of a various number of species and it serves as a feeding, breeding, nursery and spawning ground for a large number of organisms.

See also:
b. Mangrove Forests

Mangrove forests are other specialized Deep Ocean Ecosystems, for the same reason as their high productivity and diversity. Mangrove roots are submerged in a condition that is unique and may not applicable to any other trees; they are submerged in hot, muddy and shallow salt water.

Many kinds of sea birds, insects and reptiles depend and stay in mangrove ecosystem while some of the shallow water animals, such as crustaceans and fishes, all take residence in the mudflats that are connected to the mangrove shoreline.

There are several plants in Deep Ocean Ecosystems, which include seaweed, kelp, algae, sea grasses and plankton. Planktons are tiny organisms that move with water currents and dominate the pelagic life.

The pelagic zone in which those planktons exist is called epipelagic zone, a zone in which there is an adequate amount of sunlight and extends to a depth of 200 meters below the surface.

The sunlight is the power of the photosynthesis of these microscopic plants. (See also: Effects of Ocean Currents)
The photosynthesis result from the phytoplankton has become the primary food source for all ocean life, directly and indirectly. Phytoplankton has a large effect on the Earth's atmosphere because as plants in general, phytoplankton uses CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and releases O2 (Oxygen). Carbon dioxide is highly soluble in ocean water and ocean itself is a carbon dioxide sink.
To control the atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, a manipulation of oceanic chemistry has been proposed and this in turn may help to reduce greenhouse warming. If the population of phytoplankton were increased on a large scale, they may use more carbon dioxide. But when they died, some would fall to the sea floor and taking with them the carbon they harvested from the atmospheric CO2. (see also: Surface of Tension Liquids)

The growth of phytoplankton in the large regions of the ocean is limited by lack of the trace of element iron. The researchers conduct an experiment by fertilizing small patches of sea water with a minute amount of dissolved iron. The iron then triggers the growth of phytoplankton in which the rate is doubled and the biomass increases by approximately thirty times and its nitrate uptake increases by fourteen times.

Besides phytoplankton and its great role, there are other plants in ocean ecosystem such as seaweeds, marine algae, sea grasses and mangroves which have been mentioned before.

Ocean is the largest animal habitat on Earth and it is so huge that even years and years spent on discovering the complete animal habitat inside the ocean is still not enough. Animal life can be found at all depths which will be discussed in later section of this article.

Other than ocean vertebrates such as mammals, fishes and birds, there are many more different type of animals consisted in the Deep Ocean Ecosystems, such as one-celled minuscule protozoa, anemones, zooplankton, invertebrates, such as mollusks and crustaceans, sea stars, cetaceans, sea lions, seals and many other.

Some of the most popular kinds of sea mammals are whales, dolphins, sharks and seals. Other kinds of animals are star fish, walrus, eel, crabs, jelly fish, fresh and salt water fishes. Most of the small fishes are herbivores and larger fishes are carnivores. There is a certain rule in ocean ecosystem: larger fish will eat smaller fish. This food chain will be discussed in the next section. (see also: Climate of the Ocean)

In general, the fishes that are consisted inside the marine biome is differentiated by 5 kind of adaptations:

1. Sleek Body: The sleek body is designed as such to cut down the friction when they swim through the water.

2. Gills: This part allows them to breath underwater.

3. Eyes: Fishes have eyes on the side of their heads so they can see enemies coming.

4. Fins: To help them swim faster. (See also: Global Warming in Ocean)

5. Color-coded Skin: As a defense, so it is easier for them to hide from their predators.

Jelly Fish
One of the most interesting "fish" but which is actually not a fish is jellyfish or some call it jellies. Surprisingly, even before dinosaurs exist on Earth, jellyfish have drifted along on ocean currents. Jellyfishes are categorized in invertebrates and they are abundant in deep water, along coastlines and in warm and cold ocean water.

Their way of defense is to paralyze their prey before feeding on them. They use their tentacles that are equipped with tiny stinging cells to stun their enemies. They eat those preys through an opening (mouth) in their body, this opening is also used to discard waste. They feed on shrimps, fishes, crabs and tiny plants. Jellyfishes have variant color, some are clear while some are vibrant in colors, such as yellow, pink, purple, blue and often luminescent.

Ocean Layers also commonly called zone. The largest ecosystem on Earth is contained in the ocean. The ocean itself is divided into two zones, demersal zone and pelagic zone. Demersal zone is the zone that extend from the deep ocean to the coast while the rest of other region in the sea in pelagic zone. Most of ocean ecosystem is found in the pelagic zone. Pelagic zone is divided in four categories depending on its depth and each contains an unique array of organisms.

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5. Food Chains

Alike the ecosystem on the land, ocean ecosystem is also consisted of a unique type of food chain. Food chain is the way in which organisms get food and how energy and nutrients are passed from organism to another organism in a given environment. The moving of this energy happens when one creature eats another creature. Generally, food chain begins with plant and end with animal. Below is the food web for ocean ecosystem and the way in which those organisms interact and depend on each other for survival.

Photosynthesizing organism is the producer in most of food chain. Not only in land, plants also play a great role in ocean ecosystem food chain and it works similarly to the plants on the land. Through the photosynthesis, they convert carbon dioxide and nutrients into organic carbon that is need for the rest of ocean's organism survival. Other than that, oceanic photo-autotrophs are the primary producer of the oxygen that we breathe on Earth.

Due to the organic carbon that is being released by the plants, plants are placed on the first level of ocean ecosystem food chain. Some of the plants in this first level of food chain are phytoplankton, seaweed, sea grass, and many other plants. Those plants are then consumed by herbivores, animals that get its energy from eating only plants and leads to the second level of ocean ecosystem food chain.

This level is consisted on animals that feed on ocean's plant life and sometimes they are called primary consumers. Herbivores that is included in this level range from the microscopic size such as zooplankton, which include jellyfish and the early stages of some fish, mollusks and barnacles to the large size of herbivores such as certain type of fishes such as surgeonfish, parrotfish, green turtles and manatees.

Zooplankton feeds on the ocean's phytoplankton and those larger in size, invertebrates (sea urchins) and vertebrates eat on seaweed and sea grasses. Level one is being devoured by the level two of the food chain, while level two will then be the source of food for level three, carnivores.

Carnivores are those animals that derive its energy from the consumption of animal tissue and in the level three of ocean ecosystem food chain, carnivores are the main resident. Carnivores are large and diverse and their sizes also range from small to large. Small carnivores include fishes such as sardines, herring and menhaden. Large carnivores include octopuses that feed on herbivores such as crabs and lobsters and.

Besides octopuses, there are many fishes that are also categorized in carnivores section. Those fishes feed on small invertebrates that live near shore. However, although they are maybe predators for herbivores, but the rule in ocean leads to one simple fact: big fishes eat smaller fishes. These big fishes are the top level of ocean's ecosystem food chain.

Top predators get their nourishment from the smaller carnivores and similar to the other groups in the food chain, this group is also a diverse group that may or may not have predators other than human.

Large predators may include finned (such as dolphins, tuna, sharks), feathered (such as penguins, pelicans) and flippered (such as walruses, seals).

What differentiates them from the level three is that they are faster, larger and better at catching prey.

Their reproduction is slower and long lived, because of its slow reproduction, when this top level of food chain is being hunted by humans, their numbers are depleted and the loss may send shock waves for the entire food chain.

Besides this leveled food chain, there is other alternative food chain inside ocean ecosystem and it exists at the deep sea level in which sunlight cannot pass through. They are independent of sun energy and their ecosystems derive from the chemical energy that enters the ocean. This dark zone is believed to have a great range of marine life.

See also: Endangered Sea Turtles List - Types of Sea Urchins

As we have read through this article that Deep Ocean Ecosystems is so mesmerizing and mysterious at the same time. It ranges from living to non-living things, from tiny to monstrous, from vertebrates to invertebrates and ocean ecosystem is so voluminous that for every species that we have known of, which had reached 250,000 numbers of species, and there are still another three that are yet to be discovered. As human, we are responsible to take care of the Earth's ocean so that the ecosystem may live longer and provide us knowledge that may create a better life for us.

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Deep Ocean Ecosystems - Definitions - Food Chains - Animals - DeepOceanFacts.com

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Ocean ecosystem is one of the examples of this Earth's great diversity of life and habitats. This great variety is influenced by geographical, climate, or the physical factors of the ocean itself. Ocean has an average depth of 3,800 meters and that volume is the home to unique organisms. Throughout this article, we can know more about what are the things that build an ocean ecosystem.

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Seagrass is an unusual example of an entirely aquatic marine flowering plant. It grows in large meadows in areas of shallow water, providing a habitat to numerous species from all phyla, including free-living macroalgae and microalgae, bristle worms, mollusks, nematodes, and many fish, especially white-spotted puffers. Its green meadows are either monospecific (containing one species) or multispecific (many). Temperate meadows are more likely to be dominated by one or a few species, while tropical meadows, like those in the Philippines, may have as many as 13 or more. It is estimated that there are about 60 species of seagrass worldwide.

Like other grasses, to which they are not closely related, seagrasses are monocots, the smaller and simpler group of flowering plants. Seagrass is a fairly recent evolutionary innovation, having evolved from saltwater-tolerant land plants, especially mangroves, which are believed to be its immediate ancestor. Seagrass didn't likely exist prior to about 60 million years ago, shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs, but since then, it has spread to most of the temperate and tropical coasts of the world. Oddly, seagrass is considered to be part of the "land plants," because it evolved from them and has much more in common with land plants than algae, from which land plants evolved about 450 million years ago.

Like the true grasses, seagrass has relatively little nutritional content, meaning that only specially adapted animals can eat it, but recent findings have determined that seagrass is more commonly consumed than once thought. In fact, it likely forms a foundation of the food chain for hundreds of species. Dugongs, manatees, swans, fish, geese, sea urchins and crabs have all been observed eating seagrass. Even if a species of animal can't consume seagrass directly, it may be able to consume other animals that feed upon the seagrass.

Seagrass is an example of a group called " ecosystem engineers," like coral, because they significantly modify their surrounding environment, attract certain species, and discourage others. The seagrass slows down water currents, encouraging the buildup of sedimentation, which can serve as a hiding spot for small bottom-dwelling creatures. Seagrass has an extraordinary rate of primary production, meaning that it converts sunlight and nutrients into biomass more effectively than most other marine plants.

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Seagrass is an unusual example of an entirely aquatic marine flowering plant. It grows in large meadows in areas of shallow water, providing a habitat to numerous species from all phyla, including free-living macroalgae and microalgae, bristle worms, mollusks, nematodes, and many fish, especially white-spotted puffers.

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Most of Earth’s surface—more than 70 percent—is covered by oceans.

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Eighty percent of pollution to the marine environment comes from the land. One of the biggest sources is called nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff. Nonpoint source pollution includes many small sources, like septic tanks, cars, trucks, and boats, plus larger sources, such as farms, ranches, and forest areas. Millions of motor vehicle engines drop small amounts of oil each day onto roads and parking lots. Much of this, too, makes its way to the sea.

Some water pollution actually starts as air pollution, which settles into waterways and oceans. Dirt can be a pollutant. Top soil or silt from fields or construction sites can run off into waterways, harming fish and wildlife habitats.

Nonpoint source pollution can make river and ocean water unsafe for humans and wildlife. In some areas, this pollution is so bad that it causes beaches to be closed after rainstorms.

More than one-third of the shellfish-growing waters of the United States are adversely affected by coastal pollution.

Correcting the harmful effects of nonpoint source pollution is costly. Each year, millions of dollars are spent to restore and protect areas damaged or endangered by nonpoint source pollutants. NOAA works with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, and other federal and state agencies to develop ways to control nonpoint source pollution. These agencies work together to monitor, assess, and limit nonpoint source pollution that may result naturally and by human actions.

NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Program is helping to create special nonpoint source pollution control plans for each coastal state participating in the program. When nonpoint source pollution does cause problems, NOAA scientists help track down the exact causes and find solutions.

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national oceanic and atmospheric administration

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What is the biggest source of pollution in the ocean?

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Eighty percent of pollution to the marine environment comes from the land. One of the biggest sources is called 'runoff' pollution.contaminants in the environment, all working towards healthy coasts and healthy economies.

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The different plant species that live in the ocean include phytoplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, sea-grasses, kelp and algae. These plants have special adaptation features that help them survive in the water.

Plants are at the bottom of any food chain and the ocean food chain is not an exception. The various types of plants make life in the ocean possible.

Phytoplanktons - these are plants that are made up of one cell and help in balancing the carbon cycle. They also act as a source of nutrients for marine animals that feed on them.

Dinoflagellates - just like other plants, dinoflagellates are able to make their own food through photosynthesis. While they may sometimes have a toxic effect on marine life, they help stabilize the carbon cycle and act as food for some animals.

Diatoms - these are unique organisms since they are able to survive in both freshwater and salty water. They reproduce by dividing into two parts which further divide and so forth.

Sea-grasses - these plants are able to thrive under water because of certain special features. They are most commonly found in shallow waters.

Kelp - these organisms are characterized by a brown color and are categorized under algae.

Algae - there are various species of algae that can be found in almost all oceans across the globe.

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The different plant species that live in the ocean include phytoplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, sea-grasses, kelp and algae. These plants have special adaptation features that help them survive in the water. Plants are at the bottom of any food chain and the ocean food chain is not an exception.

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There are 3 zones:
Sunlight Zone is the top zone where most plants and animals live.
Twilight Zone is next and has strange animals like the swordfish and wolf eel.
Midnight Zone is the deepest, largest zone. The animals there are either black or red. There is not much light at all.

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There are thousands of different species of ocean plant life, including phytoplankton, algae, kelp and seagrasses. There are over 130,000 species of algae alone, but the most common forms are red and brown algae. Red algae is what is commonly seen on coral reefs, and brown algae is considered the most complex form of algae.

Although similar in name, seagrasses are different than seaweed, and they are flowers that grow entirely submerged in the ocean. Kelp is a form of brown algae and can be found in cold temperate waters. Phytoplankton are a single-celled species of microalgae that can be found across the globe and serve as a primary food source for many forms of marine life.

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There are thousands of different species of ocean plant life, including phytoplankton, algae, kelp and seagrasses. There are over 130,000 species of algae alone, but the most common forms are red and brown algae. Red algae is what is commonly seen on coral reefs, and brown algae is considered the most complex form of algae.

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Source: Torben Lonne /

The world's oceans are a magical, diverse and abundant ecosystem that mankind needs in order to survive.

The oceans cover over 72 percent of the planet's surface, provide over 97 percent of the world's water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

We have so much to thank the oceans for; however, they are threatened daily by natural and manmade pollution. Ocean pollution comes in many forms, but the largest factor affecting the oceans is plastic.

Over the last decade, we have produced more plastic than we have in the last 100 years. This sharp increase in plastic entering our waters harms not only marine life but also humanity.

Plastic kills fish, birds, marine mammals and sea turtles, destroys habitats and even affects animals' mating rituals, which can have devastating consequences and can wipe out entire species.

Learn more about ocean pollution and how it affects marine life and humanity with the infographic below.

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How Ocean Pollution Impacts Marine Life-and All of Us - MarineSafe

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Source: Torben Lonne / AlterNet The world's oceans are a magical, diverse and abundant ecosystem that mankind needs in order to survive. The oceans cover over 72 percent of the planet's surface, provide over 97 percent of the world's water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

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Scientists have divided the ocean into five main layers. These layers, known as "zones", extend from the surface to the most extreme depths where light can no longer penetrate. These deep zones are where some of the most bizarre and fascinating creatures in the sea can be found. As we dive deeper into these largely unexplored places, the temperature drops and the pressure increases at an astounding rate. The following diagram lists each of these zones in order of depth.

Epipelagic Zone - The surface layer of the ocean is known as the epipelagic zone and extends from the surface to 200 meters (656 feet). It is also known as the sunlight zone because this is where most of the visible light exists. With the light come heat. This heat is responsible for the wide range of temperatures that occur in this zone.

Mesopelagic Zone - Below the epipelagic zone is the mesopelagic zone, extending from 200 meters (656 feet) to 1,000 meters (3,281 feet). The mesopelagic zone is sometimes referred to as the twilight zone or the midwater zone. The light that penetrates to this depth is extremely faint. It is in this zone that we begin to see the twinkling lights of bioluminescent creatures. A great diversity of strange and bizarre fishes can be found here.

Bthypelagic Zone - The next layer is called the bathypelagic zone. It is sometimes referred to as the midnight zone or the dark zone. This zone extends from 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) down to 4,000 meters (13,124 feet). Here the only visible light is that produced by the creatures themselves. The water pressure at this depth is immense, reaching 5,850 pounds per square inch. In spite of the pressure, a surprisingly large number of creatures can be found here. Sperm whales can dive down to this level in search of food. Most of the animals that live at these depths are black or red in color due to the lack of light.

Abyssopelagic Zone - The next layer is called the abyssopelagic zone, also known as the abyssal zone or simply as the abyss. It extends from 4,000 meters (13,124 feet) to 6,000 meters (19,686 feet). The name comes from a Greek word meaning "no bottom". The water temperature is near freezing, and there is no light at all. Very few creatures can be found at these crushing depths. Most of these are invertebrates such as basket stars and tiny squids. Three-quarters of the ocean floor lies within this zone. The deepest fish ever discovered was found in the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of 27,460 feet (8,372 meters).

Hadalpelagic Zone - Beyond the abyssopelagic zone lies the forbidding hadalpelagic zone. This layer extends from 6,000 meters (19,686 feet) to the bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean. These areas are mostly found in deep water trenches and canyons. The deepest point in the ocean is located in the Mariana Trench off the coast of Japan at 35,797 feet (10,911 meters). The temperature of the water is just above freezing, and the pressure is an incredible eight tons per square inch. That is approximately the weight of 48 Boeing 747 jets. In spite of the pressure and temperature, life can still be found here. Invertebrates such as starfish and tube worms can thrive at these depths.

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Scientists have divided the ocean into five main layers. These layers, known as zones, extend from the surface to the most extreme depths where light can no longer penetrate. These deep zones are where some of the most bizarre and fascinating creatures can be found.

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What happens to ocean animals during a hurricane?

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What happens to ocean animals during a hurricane?

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Credit: majicphotos/Shutterstock

A hurricane the size of Irma can cause extensive damage on land with massive storm surges, excessive rainfall and raging winds. But what exactly happens below the ocean's surface, in the deep sea, when these storms pass through?

Hurricanes can be death sentences for coral and sea creatures that are territorial, meaning they won't leave their homes to flee to safety, or for creatures that are slow swimmers, such as the seahorse, researchers told Live Science. Other animals, such as sharks and some fish, simply swim out of danger's way.

Man-made objects stationed underwater can be blasted by powerful, hurricane-driven currents, said Curt Storlazzi, a geological oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey.Those objects can include long-lost shipwrecks, gas and oil pipelines and fiber-optic cables, he added. [ Hurricane Irma Photos: Images of a Monster Storm]

The chaos starts at the ocean's surface. The hurricane's winds blow against the water, creating waves. As the waves grow taller, they develop more area for the wind to press against, which in turn makes the waves even larger, Storlazzi said.

The water below each wave moves in a circular motion, which sets off another, small circle below it. To visualize it, think of a hula hoop with a somewhat smaller hula hoop below it, continuing until the hoops get very small.

Scientists have learned that these stacked-hoop disturbances - that is, water moving in a circular motion, setting off another circular orbit below it - are only half the distance in length from one wave peak to the next.

"If the distance between subsequent wave crests is 100 meters [328 feet], then below about 50 meters [164 feet] you won't have any of that orbit motion," Storlazzi told Live Science. However, if there is a very long wave length, then this circular moving water can reach all the way down to the continental shelf, which can be hundreds of feet below the water's surface, he said.

"When those orbital motions [get] near the bottom, they can't go through the seabed, so they tend to flatten out," Storlazzi said. "Instead of being circular, they're very horizontal, just back and forth. And those cause a lot of stress, or force imparted on the seabed."

This extremely fast horizontal movement within the ocean can kick up sediment and even move large objects - "you always hear about old sunken ships being unburied in storms because you have very strong horizontal motions," Storlazzi said.

The hurricane's powerful winds can also mix the ocean's cold, deep waters with warmer, shallow waters. "When hurricanes propagate across the ocean, they tend to leave a cooler trail of water in their wake," Storlazzi said. "They're pulling up deep water that's usually colder than the surface water, which is warmed by the sun."

During a hurricane, fast-swimming fish, such as sharks, usually escape harm, as they can detect small pressure changes in the water, prompting them to swim deeper or farther away, according to a blog written by Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami. [ Images: Sharks & Whales from Above]

But slower swimming or territorial fish, as well as crabs, sea turtles and oysters, typically fare poorly during hurricanes. Not only because they get smashed around by the waves but because there's less dissolved oxygen in the water and rapid salinity changes as the ocean's deep and shallow waters mix, McNoldy wrote.

Hurricanes are a mixed bag for coral, which can protect coastlines from waves and storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

As the planet, and oceans, warm, more corals are turning white and dying - a process known as bleaching. As mentioned, hurricanes cool the water in their wake, which is welcome news for coral in danger of higher ocean temperatures, said Tyler Smith, an associate research professor of marine science at the University of the Virgin Islands. (Smith managed to evacuate from the Virgin Islands before Hurricane Irma struck this week.)

What's more, some corals depend on high-energy waves to break them up and spread their fragments afar, where they can "take root" in a new area and grow into a new reef, Jennifer Koss, director of NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, told Live Science.

However, hurricanes can also rip apart corals and dump huge amounts of ocean sediment on them, killing the coral, Smith said. In turn, broken corals are more susceptible to disease and death.

In 2007, Hurricane Dean kicked up sediment in the waters around St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The light areas of water are runoff and resuspended sediments.

Credit: Tyler B. Smith

Typically, coral reefs ravaged by hurricanes recover in 15 to 20 years, Smith said. But in recent years, these reefs haven't been bouncing back, he said.

"A lot of these corals have lost their resilience because of human factors," Smith said. "Either local factors, like overfishing, which reduces fishes that graze the reef and keep it free of algae and allow for new coral recruits to settle. Or, we're now seeing increasing temperatures, which are increasing both direct death from bleaching and from coral diseases."

Original article on Live Science.

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During a Hurricane, What Happens Underwater?

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A hurricane the size of Irma can cause extensive damage on land with massive storm surges, excessive rainfall and raging winds. But what exactly happens below the ocean's surface, in the deep sea, when these storms pass through?

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Where does all the water come from in the ocean?

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Where does all the water come from in the ocean?

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Water pollution | Water Contamination | Video for kids