Oceanography: Introduction

Having knowledge about the oceans in our plante is crucial given that the oceans make up more than 70% of the Earth's surface and  play an incredibly important role in climate change, providing resources and the diverse ecosystem for our planet. Oceanography is the study of all aspects of the ocean. There are four major subdisciplines: 

Biological  Oceanography: The study of how species adapt to environmental changes. It also studies how the subdisciplines of oceanography work altogether or separately to influence the abundance of marine plants and animals, as well as how marine organisms behave and develop in relation to their environment. 

Physical Oceanography: The study of the relationship between the ocean's physical properties, atmosphere, seafloor and coast. They study the physical conditions, and physical processes within the ocean, such as waves, currents, temperatures, coastal erosion, and tides. For example, Physical Oceanography studies how the climate change affects the ocean and its possible effects. 

Geological Oceanography: Focuses on the formation of the seafloor and how it changes over time. It also studies the physical and chemical properties of rocks and sediments found on seafloor. This is very useful for predicting Earth's future climate and possible earthquakes.

Chemical Oceanography: Studies the chemical composition of seawater and its resulting effects on marine organisms, the atmosphere and seafloor. It also focuses on how pollutants affect seawater composition, and the unusual toxic fluids released by hydrothermal vents in the floor. 



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