The Pacific Ocean accounts for more than 50% of the total biomass of the World Ocean. Life in the ocean is abundant and varied, especially in the tropical and subtropical zones between the coasts of Asia and Australia, where vast areas are occupied by coral reefs and mangroves. The phytoplankton of the Pacific Ocean mainly consists of microscopic unicellular algae, numbering about 1300 species. About half of the species belong to the peridineans and somewhat less to the diatoms. In shallow water areas and in upwelling zones - ( Upwelling(English upwelling) or rise is a process in which the deep waters of the ocean rise to the surface. It is most often observed at the western borders of the continents, where it moves colder, nutrient-rich waters from the depths of the ocean to the surface, replacing warmer, nutrient-poor surface waters. It can also be found in almost any area of the oceans. There are at least four types of upwelling: coastal upwelling; large-scale wind upwelling in the open ocean; upwelling associated with eddies; upwelling associated with topography.
The reverse process of upwelling is downwelling.) most of the vegetation is concentrated. The bottom vegetation of the Pacific Ocean has about 4 thousand species of algae and up to 29 species of flowering plants. In the temperate and cold regions of the Pacific Ocean, brown algae are massively distributed, especially from the kelp group, and in the southern hemisphere there are giants from this family up to 200 m long.
In the tropics, fucus, large green and especially well-known red algae are especially common, which, along with coral polyps, are reef-forming organisms.
The fauna of the Pacific Ocean is 3-4 times richer in species composition than in other oceans, especially in tropical waters. More than 2 thousand species of fish are known in the Indonesian seas, while in the northern seas there are only about 300. There are more than 6 thousand species of mollusks in the tropical zone of the ocean, and about 200 of them in the Bering Sea. For the fauna of the Pacific Ocean, the antiquity of many systematic groups and endemism. live here a large number of ancient species of sea urchins, primitive genera of horseshoe crabs, some very ancient fish not preserved in other oceans (for example, Jordan, Gilbertidia); 95% of all salmon species live in the Pacific Ocean. Endemic species of mammals: dugong, fur seal, sea lion, sea beaver. Gigantism is characteristic of many species of the fauna of the Pacific Ocean. In the northern part of the ocean, giant mussels and oysters are known; in the equatorial zone, the largest bivalve mollusk, the tridacna, lives, weighing up to 300 kg. In the Pacific Ocean, the ultra-abyssal fauna is most clearly represented. In conditions of enormous pressure, low water temperature at a depth of more than 8.5 km, about 45 species live, of which more than 70% are endemic. These species are dominated by holothurians, leading a very sedentary lifestyle and capable of passing through the digestive tract a huge amount of soil, the only source of food at these depths.
Plant life (except bacteria and lower fungi) is concentrated in the upper 200th layer, in the so-called euphotic zone. Bacteria inhabit the entire water column and the ocean floor. Life develops most abundantly in the shelf zone, and especially near the coast at shallow depths, where the flora of brown algae is diversely represented in the temperate zones of the ocean. In tropical latitudes, the shallow water zone is characterized by the widespread and strong development of coral reefs, and mangroves near the shore.
With the advancement from cold zones to tropical ones, the number of species sharply increases, and the density of their distribution decreases. About 50 species of coastal algae - macrophytes are known in the Bering Strait, over 200 near the Japanese Islands, over 800 in the waters of the Malay Archipelago. in the tropical zones, individual forms do not receive such a sharp predominance, although the number of species is very large.
With distance from the coasts to the central parts of the ocean and with increasing depth, life becomes less diverse and less abundant.
Among coastal algae - macrophytes - in temperate zones, fucus and kelp are especially distinguished by their abundance. In tropical latitudes, they are replaced by brown algae - Sargasso, green - Caulerpa and Galimeda and a number of red algae.
The surface zone of the pelagial is characterized by the massive development of unicellular algae (phytoplankton), mainly diatoms, peridiniums and coccolithophorids. In T. o. one can distinguish, in addition to the littoral and sublittoral zones, a transitional zone (up to 500-1000 m), bathyal, abyssal and ultraabyssal, or a zone of deep-water trenches (from 6-7 to 11 thousand m).
Microcystis pear-shaped
The largest algae in the world, Microcystis pear-shaped, lives in the Pacific Ocean.
Seaweed giant. Microcystis pear-shaped reaches 50 m in height and grows by 30 cm per day. Like any plant, it needs light and nutrition, so it is found only in clear, mineral-rich water. On earth, such giants are rare, even among trees.
Algae is a giant source of oxygen, organic matter and energy for the entire living world. Algae is a great value of our planet.
Red algae are just as tasty, tender and used to make salads. They are rich in vitamins A, C, D and are used as a remedy for sclerosis, rickets and other diseases. From red algae, a special substance, agar-agar, is produced industrially.
Agar-agar is added to many confectionery products: marmalade, marshmallow, ice cream, cheese, bread, cakes, biscuits, so that they would be tastier and not stale so quickly. This substance is needed even in the production of film. Glue is prepared from algae, plaster, cement are added so that they are strong. Physicians, biologists scientific laboratories on agar-agar grow bacteria necessary for experiments.
Pacific salmon, as the name suggests, live in the Pacific Ocean. Representatives of this genus have from 10 to 16 branched rays in the anal fin, the scales are medium in size or small, the eggs are large and painted in red-orange color. These are migratory fish spawning in the fresh waters of Asia and North America and walking in the sea. 6 well-distinguished species are known (chum salmon, pink salmon, chinook salmon, red salmon, coho salmon and sim). All Pacific salmon spawn only once in their lives, dying after the first spawning.
Kelp
Let's get acquainted with a large algae - kelp, which in everyday life is called sea kale, its length is 5-6 meters, individual specimens up to 20 meters. Laminaria is a valuable medicinal raw material from which iodine is obtained, which protects us from trouble - it is a disinfectant for treating wounds. Lack of iodine in the body leads to an enlarged thyroid gland.
Pyrophytic- a group of unicellular marine (rarely freshwater) flagellate algae, uniting about 2100 species from two subdivisions: cryptophytes and dinophytes. Chloroplasts are brown, the cell is usually enclosed in a shell of cellulose, often of a bizarre shape. Most pyrophytes are autotrophs. They reproduce by division and spores, the sexual process is rarely observed. Pyrophytic algae - the cause of the "red tides"; toxic substances released by many of these microorganisms cause the death of fish and shellfish. Other pyrophytes are symbionts of radiolarians and coral polyps.
diatoms- from 10 to 20 thousand species of microscopic (0.75–1500 microns) single or colonial algae, the cells of which are surrounded by a solid silicon shell, consisting of two valves. The walls of the shell have pores through which exchange with the external environment takes place. Many diatoms are able to move along the substrate, apparently due to the secretion of mucus. Colonial forms live in mucous tubes, forming brown bushes up to 20 cm tall. When breeding by division, each daughter individual receives one half of the shell, the second half grows again. Due to the fact that the old record wraps its edges around the growing new one, generations diatoms fade away time after time. Sometimes diatoms form spores; the contents of the cell at the same time leaves the shell and significantly increases in size.
diatoms- the most common group of algae; they live in plankton and benthos, in silt at the bottom of freshwater reservoirs, on aquatic plants and objects, on damp earth and in moss. Fossil diatoms have been known since the Jurassic; thick deposits of the remains of these organisms form the sedimentary rock diatomite (tripoli), used by man as a filler, insulator or filter.
red algae, or crimson, have a characteristic red color due to the presence of the phycoerythrin pigment. In some forms, the color is dark red (almost black), in others it is pinkish. Purplefish live mainly in the seas, sometimes at great depths, which is associated with the ability of phycoerythrin to use green and blue rays for photosynthesis, penetrating deeper than others into the water column (the maximum depth of 285 m, at which red algae were found, is a record for photosynthetic plants). About 4000 species are divided into two classes. Agar-agar and others are extracted from some scarlet chemical substances, porphyry is used in food. Fossil red algae have been found in Cretaceous sediments.
brown algae- perhaps the most perfect among algae, includes 1500 species (3 classes), most of which are marine organisms. Individual specimens of brown algae can reach a length of 100 m; they form real thickets, for example, in the Sargasso Sea. In some brown algae, for example, kelp, tissue differentiation and the appearance of conductive elements are observed. Multicellular thalli owe their characteristic brown color (from olive green to dark brown) to the fucoxanthin pigment, which absorbs a large amount of blue rays penetrating to great depths. Thallus secretes a lot of mucus that fills the internal cavities; this prevents water loss. Rhizoids or a basal disk attach the algae to the ground so tightly that it is extremely difficult to tear it off the substrate. Many representatives of brown algae have special air bubbles that allow floating forms to keep the thallus on the surface, and attached ones (for example, fucus) to occupy a vertical position in the water column. Unlike green algae, many of which grow along their entire length, brown algae have an apical growth point.
The organic world of the Pacific Ocean is the richest in terms of the number of species, ecological communities, total biomass and commercial biological resources due to the huge size of the water area and diversity natural conditions. It accounts for more than half of the total biomass of the oceans.
The largest number of species are found in the western regions of the Pacific Ocean at low latitudes. Thus, in the seas of the Malay Archipelago, there are more than 2,000 species of fish, while in the seas of the northern part of the ocean (North Pacific biogeographic region), only about 300 are known (however, here the number of fish species is twice as large as in the waters of the North Atlantic region). The organic world of the southern regions of the ocean (part of the Antarctic region) has many features in common with similar parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean.
The organic world of the Pacific Ocean is distinguished by the antiquity of many species, a high degree of endemism and the gigantism of many of their representatives. Here, for example, ancient sea urchins, primitive horseshoe crabs, and some ancient fish not found in other oceans (Jordan, Gilbertidia, etc.) are found. Almost all salmon species (95%) live in the Pacific Ocean. There are also endemic forms among mammals - a fur seal, a sea beaver, a sea lion, which are not found in other oceans. In the northern part of the ocean, giant mussels and oysters are known; in the equatorial zone, the largest bivalve mollusk, the tridacna, weighing up to 300 kg, lives. In the southern part of the ocean, giant kelp algae grow, the length of which reaches 200 m.
Flora of the Pacific Ocean
The phytoplankton of the Pacific Ocean is represented mainly by unicellular algae, among which half of the species (about 1300) belong to peridineans and diatoms. Most of the algae are concentrated in coastal, relatively shallow water areas and in upwelling zones.
In the high and middle latitudes of both hemispheres, there is a massive development of brown algae, especially from the kelp group. Fucus, large green algae and calcareous red algae are common in equatorial-tropical latitudes. The bottom vegetation of the Pacific Ocean is represented by 4 thousand species, of which about 30 species are flowering (sea grasses).
Fauna of the Pacific Ocean
The fauna of the Pacific Ocean is several times richer in species composition than in other oceans of the world. There are all groups of animal organisms that inhabit the oceans.
Coral fauna is widely developed in the area of the Sunda Islands and northeast of Australia. The deep-sea fauna is peculiar. At depths of more than 8.5 km, a little more than 40 species of animals live, of which approximately 70% are endemic. Holothurians predominate, which can pass through their digestive system huge masses of soil, which at super-depths is practically the only source of nutrients. They are followed by lamellar-gill, polychaetes, brittle stars and other organisms adapted to life in ultra-abyssal conditions. A high degree of endemism (up to 60% or more) is characteristic of each individual deep-water trench. AT last years near hydrotherms, a peculiar ecological community adapted to life in hot waters has been openly and partially studied. Thus, microorganisms living at a temperature of 250°C and above and a pressure of about 300 atm have been found.
(at a depth of 3 km). They were first identified in the Pacific Ocean in the region of the Galapagos Rift and in other rift valleys of the East Pacific Rise.
Biological resources of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is characterized by high biological productivity (about 200 kg/km2). The distribution of primary production and biomass is determined both by latitudinal geographic zonality and by the position of the main ocean water cycles and dynamic zones (convergence, divergence, upwelling).
Areas of high bioproductivity are confined to subpolar, temperate and equatorial zones (250-500 mg-s/m2, if the primary production is estimated in milligrams of carbon formed per day in the process of photosynthesis per 1 m2 of the surface of the water layer). The maximum values of primary production and biomass are observed in upwelling zones associated with water divergences. In tropical latitudes, bioproductivity is lower, and in the central regions of subtropical circuits it is minimal.
Among the commercial biological resources of the Pacific Ocean, the first place is occupied by fish (85% of catches), the second - by mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms and other non-fish species, including algae (10%), and the third - by marine mammals (5%). Currently, approximately 45% of the fish caught worldwide is caught in the Pacific Ocean. The main fishing areas are located in the northwestern, northeastern, eastern and southeastern parts of the ocean. These are highly productive areas of interaction between the warm Kuroshio waters and the cold branches of the Kuril Current, the zone of penetration of the warm Alaska Current into high latitudes, shelf areas in the west of the ocean, and upwelling zones off the coast of the North and especially South America. The catch of fish in the Antarctic regions has increased noticeably.
The main commercial fish of the Pacific Ocean are pollock, anchovy, herring, sardine, horse mackerel, mackerel, saury, salmon, tuna (from pelagic), followed by cod, hake, flounder, halibut, sable fish, sea bass (bottom fish). In addition to fish, crabs, shrimp, scallops, mussels, oysters, trepangs, etc. are caught in the northern part of the ocean. However, their natural reserves are currently insignificant, and all these valuable invertebrates become objects of mariculture - they are artificially grown on marine plantations in Japan , countries South-East Asia, Russia (in the bays of Posyet and Peter the Great). Also, whales (baleen whales, sperm whales), squids, sharks, etc. are hunted in the ocean. On the Bering Islands and Seas of Okhotsk fur seals are harvested (certain restrictions are imposed on this fishery). Some algae are harvested and cultivated, mainly kelp (seaweed).
The area off the coast of Peru and Northern Chile is the most fish-producing area in the entire World Ocean. Its productivity is determined by the penetration of the cold Peruvian current into low latitudes and by relatively stable and intense upwelling. The Peruvian anchovy serves as the object of constant fishing here.
In some years, the anchovy catch reaches 11-13 million tons per year (about 7000 kg/km2). This is explained by the fact that under the influence of the prevailing southeast winds and the transverse component in the Peruvian Current, cold (14-18 ° C) waters rise from depths of 100-200 m. , which serve as food for a large anchovy population. Numerous cormorants, pelicans, gulls feeding on anchovies live in the coastal zone of the mainland and on the islands. Once every few years, as a result of changes in atmospheric circulation, warm equatorial waters, usually penetrating into this area under the influence of the northeast trade wind in December-January, up to 5 ° S. sh., develop such power that they move south to 15 ° S. sh., and sometimes much to the south. The Peruvian current moves away from the coast. Upwelling near the coast stops. The water temperature rises significantly, the oxygen content decreases, and the biomass of cold-loving diatoms sharply decreases. Anchovy disappears from the area, a large number of them die. The birds that feed on it also die. Anchovy catches in such years fall by almost 3 times. The whole complex of phenomena associated with the flow of equatorial waters to the south was called El Niño. Such phenomena have been noted over the past half century in 1951-53, 1957-58, 1963-65, 1972-73, 1976-77, 1982-83, 1985-87, 1992-93, 1997-98. The emergence of El Niño is apparently connected with the global processes of the dynamics of the Earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere. This is a vivid example of the interdependence of the components of natural complexes and economic activity.
Creatures and growths of the Pacific Oceanphoto and description of underwater sacks - ribs, algae, corals.
The Pacific Ocean is a complex natural system, the history of which began long before the advent of civilization on the planet. Occupying 1/3 of the surface of the entire Earth, the wines in terms of area and depth turn over all the known oceans. The history of the appearance of the name "Quiet" in the past will be related to the names of the Portuguese navigator - F. Magellan, who sailed across the entire ocean in calm weather. Nature has generously endowed the waters with a rich biomass. Creatures and growths of the Pacific Ocean are wafted by unimaginable roses.
Creature world
The fauna of the Pacific Ocean, for its species warehouse, transfers signs of any other ocean. Here practically all the bagmen of the Light Ocean speak. The main ones are savtsiv and rich ribs that inhabit water, octopus, oysters, zooplankton, crayfish, squid, mussels, jellyfish and many others. Some of them enter the warehouse of industrial resources of the Pacific Ocean. The world of creatures is also rich with such savants, like sperm whales and different whales. In the middle of the baggers, it is also common to see the sea hedgehogs, swordtails, as well as ancient ribs, which are no longer saved in other oceans.
Roslinny svіt
The phytoplankton of the ocean is the main rank of one-celled algae, which together form 1300 species. Most of them are referred to as diatoms and peridineas. Donna fauna of the Pacific Ocean contains approximately 4,000 species of algae found near coastal waters, as well as up to 29 species (sea grasses) of flower dews.
In the calmer and more cold parts of the ocean, there is a massive expansion of brown algae, zocrema from a group of laminaria.
Roslinnist in tropical regions is represented by mangroves and coral reefs. Here, there is a large part of fucus, large green and red algae, which are the head reef-forming organisms with coral polyps.
The population of Siberian whales, which linger in the Pacific Ocean, is now in critical condition. That is why this ancient view of marine savts was included in the Chervona Book. The most serious threat to their population is in the unfriendly influx of oil and gas projects. This year, the fight for the conservation of orphan whales will be led by coalitions of rich environmental organizations.
Look at the obov’yazkovo:
Creatures and growths of Turechchiniopis, photos of the wild Turkish nature.Creatures and growths of the Atlantic Oceanphoto and description of underwater sacks. Underwater world and bags of the seabed. F …Rosliny and creatures of Pivnіchnoi Americadescription from photo and video, peculiarities of pіvnіchn…Creative and growing world of Eurasіїopis of Meshkantsіv, photo of nature of Eurasia.
Mineral resources of the Pacific Ocean.
The bottom of the Pacific Ocean hides rich deposits of various minerals. On the shelves of China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the United States of America (Alaska), Ecuador (Guayaquil Bay
), Australia (Bass Strait) and New Zealand produce oil and gas. According to existing estimates, the subsoil of the Pacific Ocean contains up to 30-40% of all potential oil and gas reserves of the World Ocean. The largest producer of tin concentrates in the world is Malaysia, and Australia is the largest producer of zircon, ilmenite and others. The ocean is rich in ferromanganese nodules, with total reserves on the surface of up to 7 1012 tons. The most extensive reserves are observed in the northern deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, as well as in the South and Peruvian basins. In terms of the main ore elements in nodules …
ocean contains manganese 7.1 1010 tons, nickel 2.3 109 tons, copper 1.5 109 tons, cobalt 1 109 tons. the Nankai Trough in the Sea of Japan and around the coast of Japan, in the Peruvian Trench. In 2013, Japan intends to begin pilot drilling to extract natural gas from methane hydrate deposits on the Pacific Ocean floor northeast of Tokyo.
Red clays are widespread in the Pacific Ocean, especially in the northern hemisphere. This is due to the great depth of the ocean basins. In the Pacific Ocean, there are two belts (southern and northern) of siliceous diatom oozes, as well as a distinct equatorial belt of siliceous radiolarian deposits. Vast areas of the bottom of the southwestern ocean are occupied by coral-algal biogenic deposits. To the south of the equator, foraminiferal oozes are widespread. There are several fields of pteropod deposits in the Coral Sea
In the northern deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, as well as in the Southern and Peruvian basins, extensive fields of ferromanganese nodules are observed.
Many peoples inhabiting the Pacific shores and islands from ancient times made voyages on the ocean, mastered its riches. The beginning of the penetration of Europeans into the Pacific Ocean coincided with the era of the Great geographical discoveries. The ships of F. Magellan for several months of navigation crossed a huge body of water from east to west. All this time, the sea was surprisingly calm, which gave Magellan reason to call it the Pacific Ocean.
Much information about the nature of the ocean was obtained during the voyages of J. Cook. A great contribution to the study of the ocean and islands in it was made by Russian expeditions led by I. F. Kruzenshtern, M. P. Lazarev, V. M. Golovnin, Yu. F. Lisyansky. In the same 19th century complex studies were carried out by S. O. Makarov on the ship "Vityaz". Regular scientific voyages since 1949 were made by Soviet expeditionary ships. A special international organization is engaged in the study of the Pacific Ocean.
In the waters of the Pacific Ocean is concentrated more than half of the living matter of the entire oceans Earth. This applies to both plants and animals. The organic world as a whole is distinguished by species richness, antiquity, and a high degree of endemism.
The fauna, numbering up to 100 thousand species in general, is characterized by mammals living mainly in temperate and high latitudes. A representative of toothed whales, the sperm whale, has a massive distribution, and several species of striped whales from toothless whales. Their fishing is strictly limited. Separate genera of the eared seal family (sea lions) and fur seals are found in the south and north of the ocean. Northern fur seals are valuable fur-bearing animals, the trade of which is strictly controlled. In the northern waters of the Pacific Ocean, there are also very rare sea lions (from eared seals) and walrus, which has a circumpolar range, but is now on the verge of extinction.
very rich fauna fish. In tropical waters, there are at least 2000 species, in the northwestern seas - about 800 species. The Pacific Ocean accounts for almost half of the world's fish catch. The main fishing areas are the northern and central parts of the ocean. The main commercial families are salmon, herring, cod, anchovies, etc.
The predominant mass of living organisms inhabiting the Pacific Ocean (as well as other parts of the World Ocean) falls on invertebrates that live on different levels ocean waters and at the bottom of shallow waters: these are protozoa, coelenterates, arthropods (crabs, shrimps), molluscs (oysters, squids, octopuses), echinoderms, etc. They serve as food for mammals, fish, sea birds, but also constitute an essential component of marine fisheries and are aquaculture objects.
The Pacific Ocean, due to its high temperatures surface water in tropical latitudes, especially rich in various species corals, including those with a calcareous skeleton. No other ocean has such an abundance and variety of coral structures. various types like in the Pacific.
basis plankton are unicellular representatives of the animal and flora. There are almost 380 species in the phytoplankton of the Pacific Ocean.
The greatest wealth of the organic world is characteristic of areas where the so-called upwelling(raising to the surface of deep waters rich in minerals) or mixing of waters with different temperatures occurs, which creates favorable conditions for the nutrition and development of phyto- and zooplankton, which feed on fish and other animals of the nekton. In the Pacific, upwelling areas are concentrated along the coasts of Peru and in divergence zones in subtropical latitudes, where there are areas of intensive fishing and other trades.
The Amundsen Sea is located off the coast of Antarctica.
Banda, the inter-island sea of the Pacific Ocean in Indonesia.
Bellingshausen Sea is located off the coast of Antarctica
The Bering Sea is the largest and deepest among the seas of Russia
The Inland Sea of Japan (Seto-Nikai) is located inside the straits between the islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku (Japan).
The East China Sea (Donghai) is a semi-enclosed sea of the Pacific Ocean, between the coast of East Asia (China) and the islands of Ryukyu and Kyushu (Japan).
The Yellow Sea is limited from the Yellow and East China Seas by a conditional border that runs from the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula to Chechzhudo Island and further to the coast somewhat north of the mouth of the Yangtze River.
Coral Sea, a semi-enclosed sea of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia.
Mindanao, an interisland sea in the southern part of the Philippine archipelago.
The Molucca Sea is an inter-island sea of the Pacific Ocean, in the Malay Archipelago, between the islands of Mindanao, Sulawesi, Sula, Moluccas and Talaud. Area 274 thousand square meters. km, maximum depth 4970 m.
The New Guinea Sea lies to the northeast of the island of New Guinea.
The Sea of Okhotsk is one of the largest and deepest seas in Russia.
The Ross Sea is located off the coast of Antarctica.
Seram is an inter-island sea in the Malay Archipelago.
The Solomon Sea is bounded by the islands of New Guinea.
Sulawesi (Celebes Sea) is located between the islands of Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Mindanao, Sangihe and the Sulu archipelago.
The Tasman Sea is located between Australia and the island of Tasmania.
Fiji is located between the islands of Fiji, New Caledonia, Norfolk, Kermadec and New Zealand.
The Philippine Sea is located between the islands of Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines in the west, underwater ridges and the Izu Islands.
FLORES is located between the island of Sulawesi in the north, the islands of Sumba and Flores in the south.
South China Sea, in the west of the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Asia, between the Indochina peninsula.
JAVAN SEA, in the west of the Pacific Ocean, between the islands of Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan.
The Sea of Japan lies between the Eurasian mainland and the Korean peninsula, the Sakhalin and Japanese islands, which separate it from other Pacific seas and the ocean itself.
It led to the formation and accumulation in its waters, at the bottom and on the banks of large and diverse natural resources. Partial use of them in the coastal zone began in antiquity. At present, ocean resource exploitation is broad and comprehensive, but it is characterized by spatial differences. This is explained not only by natural factors, but also by socio-economic reasons, as well as by the peculiarities of the EGP of the Pacific Ocean. All this in combination affects the development of each type of the main resources of the ocean.
As a result of the favorable impact of hydrological and hydrobiological factors, the Pacific Ocean is characterized by high (about 200 kg/km 2) productivity. Many of its vast areas are richly populated with various animals and plants, many of which have long been used by man. However, until the second half of the 50s, catches in the Pacific Ocean were less than in. This is due to the relatively weak development of fisheries in most of the Pacific countries, the low technical level of their fishing. A sharp increase in the catches of the Peruvian anchovy since 1958 and the intensification of fishing not only in Japan, but also in other countries in this ocean, brought it to the first place in the world in the production of fish and non-fish objects. In 2004, the Pacific Ocean provided 52% of the total world catch. A close level of production is preserved here at the present time. Most of the catches (about 2/3 of the total catch in the ocean) fall on its northern part. Of course, the volume of fish and seafood production is subject to both temporal and spatial fluctuations.
Areas of mining and fishing
In the ocean as a whole, catches were high in 2009. In some fishing areas, production increased from 2006 to 2009, while in others it decreased over the same period.
The northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean is its main fishing area, where a little more than half of all fish and non-fish species caught in the Pacific Ocean are caught. In this area, the catch in 2009 exceeded the catch in 2006 by 198 thousand tons, mainly as a result of an increase in the catch by Japan and our country.
The catch of the Central-Eastern region of the ocean in 2009 increased by 172 thousand tons compared to the catch of 2008. In these waters, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama increased their catch, while the United States, Canada and Japan, on the contrary, reduced their catches mainly due to a decrease in tuna production.
The Central-Western region is the third in the ocean in terms of catches. Here, in 2009, production increased by 292 thousand tons compared to 2006, since the Asian countries adjacent to it (Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia) expanded their fishing. According to experts, this is a promising area for the development of fishing.
The southeastern region of the ocean is a unique region of the world fishery. In the recent past, in some years, catches here reached 11-13 million tons, mainly due to the Peruvian anchovy. However, such high volumes of catch and the unfavorable oceanological situation in the area in recent years have depleted the stocks of this fish and worsened the conditions for its reproduction, which led to a sharp decrease in its catches. Thus, in 2006 the total catch of Peruvian anchovy reached 4297 thousand tons, and in 2007 it dropped to 807 thousand tons. True, the main producing countries of this region - Peru and Chile - increased the catch of other types of fish, such as sardines, horse mackerels, but in general, production here decreased slightly, by only 281 thousand tons, and the Southeast Pacific Ocean continues to rank second in terms of catches.
Northeast region in 2005, 2006 and 2008 ranked fourth in catches among other fishing areas of the Pacific Ocean. In 2007, there was a noticeable decrease in catch volumes due to fishing restrictions. foreign countries within 200 mile zones in the US and Canada. The catches of Japan (296 thousand tons) and our country (312 thousand tons) were especially reduced, mainly as a result of a decrease in pollock production. It is characteristic that the catches of the USA and Canada have increased here by only 67 thousand tons, thus, the fishing opportunities of this rather rich region are not fully used. In 2008 and 2009 catches increased but remained below 2006 catches.
The southwestern region of the ocean is still little developed by the world fishery, although the catches in 2009 were higher than the catches of 2005, but lower than the catches of 2007. Here, in addition to the countries adjacent to this region - Australia and New Zealand - Japan, Russia are fishing and other countries that account for more than 70% of the catch in these waters. In 2007, the catch of Japan and Russia increased significantly, which increased the total production in this area.
In 2009, the catch of the Antarctic region, which is still little mastered by the world fishery, increased noticeably. Here, 800 thousand tons of fish and other seafood were caught, mainly by countries leading expeditionary catches.
The production of non-fish objects in all fishing areas of the Pacific Ocean is generally characterized by relative stability and upward trends. The catch of shrimp, and in recent years, krill, which is caught in the Antarctic waters, has increased most noticeably.
A brief review of biological resources shows that the Pacific Ocean is the largest modern supplier of fish and seafood. The unjustified restrictions of some capitalist countries in their exclusive economic zones reduce the possibilities rational use biological wealth of these areas, which adversely affects the economic activity in the ocean.
The term "World Ocean", as part of the hydrosphere, was introduced into science by the famous oceanographer Yu. M. Shokalsky. Separate parts of the World Ocean, separated from each other by continents and differing as a result of this by certain natural features and unity, are called oceans. These are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic oceans.
The ocean plays an important role in the circulation of matter and energy on Earth. Between the ocean, atmosphere and land there is a continuous cycle of water. The ocean is in constant interaction with the atmosphere. This is a huge accumulator of heat and moisture. The oceans are the kitchen of weather and climate on Earth. Thanks to the oceans on Earth, sharp fluctuations in air temperature are smoothed out, and land is moistened.
The oceans have huge natural resources: biological, mineral, energy. biological resourcesocean- these are representatives of the flora and fauna of the ocean, which are of commercial importance. The oceans are the richest source of food resources: fish, marine animals, shellfish (squid, mussels), crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, krill), some types of algae. Ocean mineral resources- this is the mineral wealth of the waters, the shelf and the ocean floor, used in industry and construction. These are chemicals dissolved in water, oil, gas, ferromanganese nodules, gravel, shell rock sand, etc. The shelf zone of the World Ocean (13 million km 2) is promising for oil and gas production. The main resource of the World Ocean is sea water.
Ocean energy resources - this is the mechanical and thermal energy of the waters of the oceans. Most of all, the energy of ebbs and flows is used.
There are many islands and groups of islands in the ocean. By origin, mainland, volcanic and coral islands are distinguished. mainland islands- these are land areas that once formed one whole with the continents, but separated from them as a result of the sinking of the land (Madagascar, New Earth, New Guinea, UK). The largest island in terms of area is Greenland. Volcanic islands formed as a result of volcanic eruptions at the bottom of the oceans and seas (Kuril, Hawaiian). coral islands are created as a result of the vital activity of marine organisms - coral polyps. They live only in warm waters with a temperature of about +20 ° C, for example, the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.
Pacific Ocean
Main questions. What determines the features of the nature of the Pacific Ocean? What role does the Pacific play in people's lives?
The Pacific Ocean is the largest, deepest, and oldest of all oceans. Its area is 178.68 million km 2 (1 / 3 of the surface of the globe), all the continents taken together would be located in its open spaces.
F. Magellan traveled around the world and was the first to explore the Pacific Ocean. His ships never got into a storm. The ocean was resting from the usual rampages. Therefore, F. Magellan mistakenly called it the Quiet.
Geographical position. The Pacific Ocean is located in the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Hemispheres and has an elongated shape from northwest to southeast. (Determine by physical map world, what continents the Pacific Ocean washes and in what part it is especially wide.) Marginal seas (more than 15) and bays stand out in the northern and western parts of the Pacific Ocean. Among them Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow seas confined to Eurasia. In the east, the coastline of America is flat. (Show on a physical map of the Pacific Ocean.)
Relief The bottom of the Pacific Ocean is complex, the average depth is about 4000 m. The Pacific Ocean is the only one that is almost completely located within the boundaries of one lithospheric plate - the Pacific. When it interacted with other plates, seismic zones were formed. They are associated with frequent volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and - as a result - the occurrence of tsunamis. (Give examples of what disasters tsunamis turn into for residents of coastal countries.) Off the coast of Eurasia, the maximum depth of the Pacific and the entire World Ocean is noted - the Mariana Trench (10,994 m).
The western part of the Pacific Ocean is characterized by deep-sea trenches (Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatsky, Japanese, etc.). The Pacific Ocean contains 25 of the 35 deep trenches of the World Ocean with a depth of more than 5000 m.
Climate. The Pacific Ocean is the warmest ocean on Earth. In low latitudes, it reaches a width of 17,200 km, and with the seas - 20,000 km. The average surface water temperature is about +19 ¨C. The water temperature of the Pacific Ocean in the equatorial latitudes during the year ranges from +25 to +30 ¨C, in the north from +5 to +8 ¨C, and near Antarctica it drops below 0 ¨C. (In which climatic zones is the ocean located?
The size of the Pacific Ocean and the maximum temperatures of its surface waters in tropical latitudes create conditions for the emergence of tropical cyclones or hurricanes. They are accompanied by destructive winds and downpours. At the beginning of the 21st century, an increase in the frequency of hurricanes was noted.
The prevailing winds have a great influence on the formation of the climate. These are trade winds in tropical latitudes, westerly winds- in temperate latitudes, monsoons - off the coast of Eurasia. Maximum amount precipitation per year (up to 12,090 mm) falls on the Hawaiian Islands, and the minimum (about 100 mm) - in the eastern regions in tropical latitudes. The distribution of temperatures and precipitation is subject to latitudinal geographic zonality. The average salinity of ocean water is 34.6‰.
currents. The formation of ocean currents is influenced by the system of winds, the features of the bottom topography, the position and outlines of the coast. The most powerful current of the World Ocean is the cold current of the West Winds.
This is the only current that goes around the whole Earth, carrying 200 times more water per year than all the rivers of the world. The winds that generate this current - the westerly transfer - are of extraordinary strength, especially in the region of the southern 40th parallel. These latitudes are called the "Roaring Forties".
In the Pacific Ocean, there is a powerful system of currents generated by the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres: Northern Tradewind and Southern Equatorial Current. Current plays an important role in the movement of the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Kuroshio. (Study the direction of the currents on the map.)
Periodically (after 4-7 years) in the Pacific Ocean, the El Niño current (“Holy Child”) occurs, one of the factors of global climate fluctuations. Its cause is a decrease atmospheric pressure in the South Pacific and rising over Australia and Indonesia. During this period, warm waters rush east to the coast of South America, where the temperature of ocean water becomes abnormally high. This causes intense downpours, large floods and landslides on the coast of the mainland. And in Indonesia and Australia, on the contrary, dry weather is established.
natural resources and environmental problems. The Pacific Ocean is rich in mineral resources. In the process of geological development, deposits of oil and natural gas were formed in the shelf zone of the ocean. (Study the location of these natural resources on the map.) At a depth of more than 3000 m, ferromanganese nodules with a high content of manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt were found. It is in the Pacific Ocean that deposits of nodules occupy the most significant areas - more than 16 million km 2. Placers of tin ores and phosphorites were found in the ocean.
Nodules are rounded formations up to 10 cm in size. Nodules represent a huge reserve of mineral raw materials for the development of the metallurgical industry in the future.
More than half of the living matter of the entire World Ocean is concentrated in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The organic world is distinguished by species diversity. The fauna is 3-4 times richer than in other oceans. Representatives of whales are widespread: sperm whale, baleen whale. Seals and fur seals are found in the south and north of the ocean. Walruses live in northern waters, but are on the verge of extinction. Thousands of exotic fish and algae are common in the shallow waters off the coast.
The Pacific Ocean accounts for almost half of the world's catch of salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, tuna, and Pacific herring. Large quantities of cod, halibut, saffron cod, and macrorus are caught in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the ocean (Fig. 42). Sharks and rays are found everywhere in warm latitudes. In the southwestern part of the ocean, tuna, swordfish spawn, sardines, blue whiting live. A feature of the Pacific Ocean are giant animals. 42. The main commercial fish: the largest bivalve mollusk tridacna (shell up to 2 m, weight over 200 kg), king crab (up to 1.8 m in length), giant sharks (gigantic - up to 15 m, whale - up to 18 m in length), etc.
The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the life of the peoples of many countries. About half of the world's population lives on its coast. The Pacific Ocean is the second largest in the world in transportation. The world's largest ports are located on the Pacific coast in Russia, Japan, and China. As a result of economic activity, an oil slick has formed on a significant part of its surface, which leads to the death of animals and plants. Oil pollution is most common along the Asian coast, where the main oil production and transport routes pass.
Bibliography
1. Geography grade 8. Tutorial for the 8th grade of institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Under the editorship of Professor P. S. Lopukh - Minsk "Narodnaya Asveta" 2014
The date: 01.04.2017
The Pacific Ocean is distinguished by the richness of the organic world as a result of its location in almost all geographical zones. The fauna of the ocean alone has about 110 thousand species , 4 times more than in other oceans. In phytoplankton, almost 380 species. The number of species and the biomass of the organic world of the Pacific Ocean are 50% of world indicators.
AT offshore zone a variety of crustaceans, echinoderms, mollusks, fucus, kelp algae.
The organic world of different latitudes of the ocean is different.
Yes, for tropical latitudes significant development of coral reefs is characteristic, the fish fauna is represented by 2000 species.
AT temperate latitudes there are almost 800 species of fish, in the north there are many mammals (sperm whales, several species of minke whales, fur seals), as well as shrimps, cephalopods, crabs, etc. The fauna of the Pacific Ocean is rich in endemics and giants.
Among endemic mammals fur seals, sea otters, sea lions.
Among giants - mussels, clams and oysters that live in the north of the ocean.
Energy and recreational resources.
active Human exploitation of the natural resources of the Pacific Ocean is the cause of many environmental problems:
Water pollution by oil products;
Water pollution with synthetic solutions, household waste;
Destruction certain types plants and animals;
Water pollution by radioactive waste;
Water pollution by industrial waste, agricultural activities
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Climate and properties of water masses Atlantic Ocean. Research history
see also