Ocean Education

The ocean covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and contains 97% of the planet’s total water.
From the outside, we only see the surface of the ocean, but it is made up of incredible underwater landscapes—it hosts the world’s longest mountain range and the deepest point on the planet—and a vast variety of organisms, from the microscopic nanoplankton to the largest animal on Earth: the blue whale.

In school, we learn about the existence of five oceans, but that’s not entirely accurate. There is only one ocean, a single vast ocean that connects the coasts of all continents.
Then there are the ocean basins, which are five: Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern.
These ocean basins, however, are interconnected through the global circulation system—thermohaline circulation—driven by wind, tides, Earth’s rotation and the Sun, as well as variations in water temperature and salinity.
This system transports water, energy, matter, and organisms around the globe, which is why it is also called the Great Conveyor Belt.
Oceanographers have calculated that a single water particle can take up to 2,800 years to complete the full cycle!

As vast, infinite, and resilient as it may seem, the ocean is becoming increasingly fragile, and its resources are more limited. This is why we must act collectively to safeguard it.

The first multicellular organisms were born in the ocean around 1.4 billion years ago: algae, through photosynthesis and the release of oxygen into the environment, created the conditions necessary for the evolution of more complex marine organisms and the subsequent colonization of land.

The ocean continuously shapes all the landscapes of our planet. Coastal areas are modified by the movement of water from waves and tides, by the resulting erosion, and by the sedimentation of organic and inorganic material, such as sand. The coastlines and cliffs, as well as some mountain ranges—think of the Dolomites—clearly show the stratification of marine fossils and the different sea levels that have occurred over millennia.

The life and well-being of the world’s population, especially those living on islands and along coasts, are closely dependent on the ocean and its health.

Despite the importance of the ocean, human activities have drastically altered the natural balance of these processes. Coastal urbanization changes the distribution of sand and beaches; increasing carbon dioxide emissions alter the chemical and physical properties of the ocean, acidifying it and raising its temperature; and the rise in average global temperature contributes to the rising sea level.

Most precipitation originates from the evaporation of ocean water in the tropical zone: the vapor rises into the atmosphere and condenses, forming clouds and rain.

The ocean absorbs a large portion of the solar radiation that reaches our planet. The heat absorbed is continuously exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere, thus regulating the water and carbon cycles, as well as oceanic and atmospheric circulation.

El Niño is an example of a periodic climate phenomenon that causes a significant warming of the waters in the central-southern Pacific Ocean, leading to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and other disruptions that heavily affect global economic activities like agriculture and fishing.

In addition to solar radiation, the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere: the excess of this greenhouse gas causes a progressive lowering of the ocean’s pH, leading to its acidification.

The warming and acidification of the water have a profound impact on ecosystems and marine life. Thanks to its ability to absorb heat and carbon dioxide, the ocean is a powerful ally in the fight against climate change. However, we must not push it beyond its limits.

Fossils of the first life forms, stromatolites, have been found in the ocean and date back to about 4.28 billion years ago, shortly after the formation of the Earth.

3.5 billion years ago, the first unicellular plant organisms, cyanobacteria, defined as phytoplankton, formed: it is precisely these microscopic organisms that allowed the evolution of life in the ocean and on land, thanks to the production and accumulation of oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.

Even today, phytoplankton is the largest producer of oxygen on the planet – yes: more than the Amazon Rainforest. We owe more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe to these tiny beings.

From oxygen production to climate mitigation, from the supply of water to that of nutrients, the ocean is essential for life on our planet and it is our duty to safeguard it.

Let’s start with the basics. An ecosystem is the set and continuous interaction between living components and the physical-chemical environment in which they live. Physical characteristics include temperature, light, availability of nutrients, and substrate type.
Each ecosystem is characterized by specific animal and plant organisms, adapted to different environmental conditions, with precise roles for the proper functioning of the ecosystem.

Some examples of marine ecosystems include coral reefs, mangrove forests, Posidonia oceanica meadows, rocky bottoms, ocean floors, lagoon areas, coralligenous habitats, and many others. In deeper ecosystems, such as hydrothermal vents, organisms live in extreme conditions: little light, low oxygen, and high pressure. To survive, they rely on specific chemical reactions to produce energy and nutrients.

The same variety of ecosystems is represented by the organisms that inhabit the marine environment: viruses, bacteria, and microscopic fungi, animal and plant organisms, vertebrates and invertebrates, carnivores, herbivores, and filter feeders of various sizes. So far, only 270,000 marine species have been described, but it is estimated that there are over a million still to be discovered!

The ocean provides essential resources and services for the well-being and survival of humans, animals, and plants around the world.
It supplies food, mineral and energy resources, and medically and pharmaceutically relevant molecules, many of which are still to be discovered. Over 30% of the global population and entire nations depend on fishing for their livelihoods. The ocean also represents an essential network for connection and transport: over 90% of goods and products, from food to clothing, from furniture to luxury cars, are transported by sea.

The ocean has also spurred many more or less recent industries: fishing, transportation, offshore wind energy, aquaculture, and mineral extraction. Marine and coastal tourism, along with sports, recreational, and cultural activities, are additional services and benefits that the ocean offers us.
All these functions generate jobs and economic income, having a significant impact on society and the global economy.

However, the ocean is much more than just a source of resources to be extracted: it holds great cultural and spiritual value and serves as a primary source of inspiration and well-being, both mental and physical.

To date, we still know very little about our blue planet: only 20% of the ocean has been mapped to a resolution that allows us to understand its characteristics. It’s incredible, but we know more about the surface of Mars and the Moon than we do about the ocean floor of Earth.

This is because the ocean is immensely vast and still not very accessible. What makes research challenging is the interdisciplinary nature of ocean exploration and understanding: it involves oceanographers, geologists, ecologists, and many other professions.

There are many tools for exploring and collecting oceanographic data: from satellites in space to remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), from buoys that collect in-situ data to Gliders, which are autonomous underwater vehicles.

Despite the many specialists and the most innovative technologies available, there is still much to explore. The discovery of new marine species and habitats is continually growing: in 2021 alone, over 30 new marine species were discovered, and in January 2022, an almost pristine coral reef was found off the coast of Tahiti.

To better understand and appreciate what the ocean offers us, it is our duty to continue exploring and studying the wonders of our Blue Planet.