Module 10: Environmental Oceanography

Humans' daily activities may seem minor, but they can have major impacts on the ocean environment. From the pollution we generate to the amount of fish we may eat, our actions can affect the ocean's ability to provide life-sustaining resources across the globe. Pollution is not only an eyesore, but it is dangerous to the wildlife that live in and around the ocean, and eventually to humans. It can also affect the way the ocean absorbs heat. Global warming can alter the ocean's ecosystem through increased water temperatures that melt glaciers and affect its water level and salinity. Commercial and industrial fishing, if not properly managed, can lead to overfishing in certain fisheries of the ocean, which affects not only the protein supply available to humans, but also to organisms down the food chain.

There are protected marine areas in the United States where certain human actions are managed in order to preserve the ocean ecosystem. Individually, though, humans can educate themselves on how to control their own negative impact on the ocean.

Getting Started

How much do you already know about environmental oceanography? In this non-graded interactivity, read each statement and decide whether it is true or false. Click SUBMIT to check your response. Click the player button to begin.

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

bioaccumulation	heavy metals
biomagnification	industrial fishing
bycatch	infrared radiation
carbon footprint	marine sanctuary
chlorofluorocarbons	maximum sustainable yield
commercial fishing	oil spills
conservation	pollution
coral bleaching	radioactive wastes
dichlorophenyltrichloroethane	sewage
eutrophication	sludge
Food and Agricultural Organization	stocks
fossil fuels	synthetic organic compounds
global warming	thermal pollution
greenhouse effect	ultraviolet radiation
greenhouse gases