The World Ocean Review is an extensive report, dealing with the state of the world ocean, the interactions between the ocean and ecological, economical and sociopolitical conditions. It is meant to inform the general public about the current state of the ocean without trying to scare and terrify anyone. There is a print and a free to download version on the official website of the project. It is published by the non-profit organization maribus, founded by the mareverlag in Hamburg, Germany. 40 Scientists from the Kiel Cluster of Excellence "Future Ocean" incorporated many studies from the fields of climate and ocean research into the report. The World Ocean Review was first published in 2010 and is supposed to be redone periodically. The scientific facts in this book are supposed to be helpful to those who want to actively participate in the current discussion about climate and ocean research.
Contents
- 1 The world oceans global climate drivers
- 2 How climate change alters ocean chemistry
- 3 The uncertain future of the coasts
- 4 Last stop The ocean pollution of the seas
- 5 Climate change impacts on marine ecosystems
- 6 Exploiting a living resource Fisheries
- 7 Marine minerals and energy
- 8 Maritime highways of global trade
- 9 Medical knowledge from the sea
- 10 The law of the sea A powerful instrument
- References
1. The world oceans, global climate drivers
This chapter gives a quick introduction into our complex climate system and the interactions between the atmosphere, cyrosphere, ocean, lithosphere and biosphere and the different factors that influence them, such as solar radiation, wind and ocean currents.
2. How climate change alters ocean chemistry
This chapter explains the connections between CO2 uptake of the ocean, ocean acidification and the thus resulting dangers for the ecosystem ocean on the basis of current scientific knowledge. Furthermore, the consequences of climate change for methane hydrates are illustrated.
3. The uncertain future of the coasts
This chapter explains the sea level rise because of heat expansion, the melting of land bound ice sheets and the accompanying dangers for coastal regions. The anthropogenic influence on the world’s coasts is also part of this chapter.
4. Last stop: The ocean – pollution of the seas
This chapter covers everything from over fertilization with organic contaminants to garbage and oil as hazards for the ocean and the people of our planet.
5. Climate change impacts on marine ecosystems
Even the smallest climate changes can have enormous repercussions on many organisms of different parts of the ecosystem ocean. Such snowball effects are exemplified in this chapter. Also part of the chapter is the response of an ecosystem to an encroaching alien species.
6. Exploiting a living resource: Fisheries
This chapter gives a brief introduction into the matter of deep-sea fishery. The necessity of the resource fish for mankind and the accompanying problem of overfishing are illustrated. The reasons and possible improvements to fisheries management are also part of the chapter.
7. Marine minerals and energy
Fossil fuels, marine minerals, methane hydrate, offshore generation of renewable energies hold great potential for mankind, but can also be endangering not just for the climate and ecology. All this is illustrated in this chapter.
8. Maritime highways of global trade
This chapter covers mainly economical aspects of the world’s maritime traffic, but also looks at the increasing dangers of piracy and terrorism.
9. Medical knowledge from the sea
Today pharmaceutical ingredients can’t just be extracted from marine organisms (e.g. for cancer therapy) but they can also be used for cause studies for disease origins. This chapter illustrates the decoding of new substances, the research of partly very old diseases and the legal situation of marine medicine research.
10. The law of the sea: A powerful instrument
This chapter covers the legal system and governance of the ocean. The protection of marine mammals and the legal situation regarding the country borders in the Arctic Ocean are part of this chapter.