Treasure Trove: Kelp: Its Varied Uses
Kelp is the common term for a group of brown seaweeds that have significant economic value and are used in a number of ways. They can be found in a variety of products, from ice cream to salad dressings and from shaving cream to tooth paste. In some...
Beneath the Surface: Light in the Ocean
One of the defining elements that distinguishes one ocean layer from another is the presence or absence of light. The impact of light in the marine environment is significant. It affects the behavior of marine animals and has an impact on their anat...
Beneath the Surface: Ocean's Horizontal Layers, The
The area beneath the surface of the ocean is laid out in discrete zones and layers. These provide a convenient framework within which to analyze ocean structure.
Food for Thought: Primary Productivity and Climate
Phytoplankton play an important if indirect role in regulating the chemistry of the ocean and the atmosphere system. They do this through their contribution to the carbon cycle, taking carbon dioxide with them when they die and sink to the deep ocea...
Food for Thought: Global Patterns of Primary Productivity
Phytoplankton tend to concentrate in areas where the conditions for their growth and reproduction are optimal. Some of the most productive waters include the Antarctic and the North Atlantic during the springtime.
The Water Planet: Origin of Life on Earth
There is no definitive evidence that proves beyond a doubt where water originated. But wherever it came from, water did eventually cover more than two-thirds of Earth's surface. The implications of this for the formation of life on planet Earth were...
Food for Thought: Conditions Required for Photosynthesis
The first step in the primary production process is photosynthesis. It can only take place if certain critical conditions are met, including the presence of light and chemical nutrients. Temperature also plays a role, with reactions proceeding more ...
Building Blocks: Role of Evolution in Early Life
The ability to adapt to changing or difficult conditions is clearly necessary if an organism is to be biologically successful.
Food for Thought: Transfer of Energy, The
While the term "food chain" is still used by some to describe the transfer of energy between organisms, others contend that the complex nature of this process is better described by the word "web," rather than "chain."
Food for Thought: Primary Producers and Photosynthesis
Primary producers are marine organisms so small that most of them can't be seen individually without magnification. But despite their small size, primary producers are extremely important. They take energy from other sources-primarily the sun-and us...