Oceans: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #529

by Dorrik Stow

The importance of the oceans to life on Earth cannot be overstated. Liquid water covers more than 70% of our planet's surface and, in past geological time, has spread over 85%. Life on Earth began in the oceans over 3.5 billion years ago and remained there for the great majority of that time. Today the seas still provide 99% of habitable living space, the largest repository of biomass, and holds the greatest number of undiscovered species on the planet. Our oceans are vital for the regulation of climate, and with global warming and decreasing land area, they have become increasingly important as the source of food, energy in the form of oil and gas, and for their mineral wealth. Oceans also form a key part of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements critical to life. Nutrients in upwelling areas are spread by ocean currents, and the plankton of the seas supports a wealth of wildlife.

In this Very Short Introduction Dorrik Stow analyses these most important components of our blue planet and considers their relationship with, and exploitation by, humans. He shows how the oceans are an essential resource to our overpopulated world, and discusses why exploration and greater scientific understanding of the oceans, their chemistry, and their mineral wealth are now a high priority. Stow also explores what we know of how oceans originate, and evolve and change; the shape of the seafloor and nature of its cover; the physical processes that stir the waters and mix such a rich chemical broth; and the inseparable link between oceans and climate. As polar ice melts and sea-levels rise, countless millions who have made their homes on low-lying lands close to the sea are threatened. As scientific exploration of the seas gathers pace, the new knowledge gained of the ocean-Earth systems and their interaction with the human environment is vital to our understanding of how we can
preserve these ultimately fragile environments.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Geography, Geology, Nature, Popular Science

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jorvon Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of of OUP short introductions, and this is the only one which I cannot, for three reasons, give five stars. For one thing, the book contains too much autobiographical information. The author doesn’t need to remind of of their credentials in every chapter! For another thing, as other people have pointed out, the book is oddly organized. For instance, it contains a chapter which is essentially a very very short introduction to marine biology, a few paragraphs on maritime history, and an epilogue which is entirely a warning about climate change, only tangentially related to the ocean and in spite of the fact that many of the chapters talk about climate change anyway. And that’s the last thing: the book contains too many preachy warnings about climate change. I wanna learn about the ocean. If I wanted to learn more about climate change, I would have read “Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction”.

Notwithstanding the above complaints, the book was a decent introduction to oceanology.

[Annah Bohman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mycket informativt för alla som är intresserade av havet. Från havets uppkomst till människans upptäckt av det och inte minst hennes förståelse för det. Författaren tar även upp historiska förändringar av klimatet, massutdöenden och deras påverkan på olika arter. Självklart diskuteras även ny forskning, människans påverkan på hav och klimat och lösningar för framtiden.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have discovered that the ocean isnt that interesting

[Jonathan Cleveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, yet detailed introduction to the oceanography. Covering topics from the prehistoric origins of the ocean to its fragility and the overall preservation of the vital ecosystem. This pocket book covers a little bit of everything!

The author does a solid job of breaking down complex scientific jargon into everyday language.

However, I did find that the more complex the subject matter, the less thorough the explanation. Nevertheless, this book is an introduction is not supposed to go in-depth.

Great for those who would like to learn more about the marine world and develop a sharper focus on topics of interest to do further research.

[Usfromdk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Closer to one star than three. Too 'loose' and unfocused coverage, too much focus on controversial political topics for a book of this kind.

[Chamodi Waidyathilaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book offers a comprehensive examination of oceanographic and geological themes, underscoring the oceans' pivotal role in climate regulation and life support due to their vast coverage of Earth's surface. It defines key terms, such as abyssal plain and ocean zones, while addressing processes like acidification and biodegradation, focusing on vital organisms such as autotrophs and foraminifers. The author, Dorrik Stow, stresses the need for ocean conservation amidst threats from human activity, tracing the history of maritime exploration and contributions to ocean science.

It explores geological processes that shape oceans and continents through plate tectonics, discusses initial ocean formation theories, and details current satellite methods utilized to measure plate movements. It highlights phenomena like the Atlantic Ocean's expansion, mid-ocean ridge ecosystems, and the seismic impacts of subduction zones.

The evolution of Earth's geology from Pangaea to contemporary landforms is analyzed, noting significant climate and biodiversity impacts resulting from geological changes. The analysis includes a categorization of ocean floor sediments and their distribution processes.

Author also addresses factors like ocean salinity's critical role in life sustainability and outlines the hydrological cycle's dynamics, including pollution's adverse effects. Concerns regarding rising CO2 levels, ocean temperature, and chemical imbalances threatening marine species are evaluated, along with the crucial influence of solar radiation on climate through currents.

The vital interconnection between oceans and atmospheric conditions is highlighted, emphasizing the consequences of human activity on natural cycles and climate, such as increased surface temperatures and extreme weather events.

Human-induced challenges, like resource overexploitation and pollution, threaten marine biodiversity, particularly in vulnerable coastal ecosystems. Urgent conservation needs are noted, along with the importance of sustainable practices and global cooperation, including the necessity for Marine Protected Areas and international environmental treaties to safeguard ocean health and address climate threats.

[Hank Hoeft · Rating 4 out of 5]

We humans think of ourselves as the masters of the world, but in reality, we are only aliens on our own planet. 71 percent of the “earth” is covered with water, and the world under that water is as strange and unknown to most of us as the surface of Altair IV. The Oxford University Press’ Oceans: A Very Short Introduction is a fascinating and information-dense primer on the world’s oceans. Author Dorrik Stow covers a wide range of topics, from the history of oceans, to the incredibly complex nature of ocean water, to the geology of the ocean floor, the dynamics of ocean currents and winds and how the interplay between the two and with sunlight and the earth’s core, and the earth’s rotation, create the world’s weather and regulate and maintain a remarkably stable biosphere. He also discusses the wide and bizarre range of ocean life, and the incredible wealth potential in minerals, chemicals, food, and energy the oceans might provide a burgeoning human population. This is one of the longest Very Short Introductions I’ve read so far, and I was sorry to get to its end.

[Ron Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the plus side, I learned a lot of new information about the Earth's geological history, plate tectonics, and oceanography. Much of this was new to me and I found it to be fascinating. On the other hand, just how many times can an author reiterate the projected disastrous effects of anthropogenic climate change without the reader having finally had enough? For me, the answer was some lesser number of repetitions than Dorrik Stow thought necessary.

[Gabby Hurtado · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great introduction to oceans and oceonography. It's a quick and easy read too with a lot of insight. It covers history of the our planet the importance of the oceans and covers topics of preservation.

I definitely recommend.

[Rache · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed and yet concise beginner's guide to oceanography.

[Arend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather dry, oddly organized VSI that buries fascinating stuff under many facts. Illustrations were lacking proper legends or hard to interpret.

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this might be useful as a textbook for a 12 week nonmajors Intro to Oceanography course, but found it underwhelming.

[Denise みか Hutchins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being like a miniature textbook, there were some issues with this book that I think are unavoidable (e.g. when utterly new concepts are introduced, it can be extremely difficult to wrap one's head around them) but as a supplemental text in my Oceanography course, I still found it much more readable and entertaining than what one would normally expect from a college-level science course. The author included personal anecdotes here and there which made the reading feel a little more intimate and made the book more approachable. It also doesn't hurt that it was very affordable, even considering that I bought a new copy! It's not the kind of book I'll hold onto to read again but it was a fine textbook worth reading.

[Luke Gompertz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really nice to have the deeper understanding of and appreciation for the oceans which this book provides. It's good at giving you that sense of the whole domain of ocean science in the broad strokes, rather than just disconnected facts without knowing how much you don't know. At the same time it had a number of really top-notch "Did you know..."s that I'll be sharing for years to come.