The Ocean is a place to enjoy and at the same time it is a natural resource that gives life to every living form on earth.
Everything about the ocean is immense — it has the tallest mountains in
the world and the deepest valleys. It covers 72 percent of the Earth's
surface. That's 139 million square miles or 139 with 19 zeros after it.
And it's not just wide. It's deep — 12,460 feet deep on average.
That's 10 Empire State buildings stacked on top of each other!
Life in the ocean depends on energy. No animal can move or grow without
energy. Most ocean animals get their energy by eating plants or other
animals. The connection between organisms based on the transfer of
energy is called a food chain or a food web. Most food webs start with
the conversion of sunlight into food through a process called
photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is an important process that occurs at
the surface of the ocean. But deep within the ocean, at hydrothermal
vents, food chains are based on the conversion of chemical energy into
food. This process is called chemosynthesis.
Marine Conservation
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MarineBio is deeply committed to the conservation of the ocean and
its marine life. We encourage you to get involved in marine
conservation, whether you spend a weekend cleaning up a beach or writing
your elected representatives to support environmental legislation.
Unfortunately, the health of the ocean and marine life is often taken
for granted, perhaps because the vast and powerful ocean seems
invincible. But it is as vulnerable to harm by human activities as any
other environmental realm.