Marine Science in the Real World

Marine Science in the Real World — page 1

Marine Science in the Real World — page 2 — CHAPTER ONE WHAT IS MARINE SCIENCE Dr Cindy Lee Van Dover is at home on the miles 4 8 km in a tiny submersible The deep ocean floor She dives down three water is completely black There is no light It gets colder with every foot of depth The pressure could crush an unprotected person Dr Van Dover has piloted 48 dives in the submersible Alvin She explores hot springs on the Submersibles are important tools in the exploration of the deep oceans 5

Marine Science in the Real World — page 3 — ocean floor These springs are called hydrothermal vents They belch water heated by molten volcanic rocks Dr Van Dover studies the strange creatures that live nearby She also sees the effects of humans She finds lots of trash There are tracks left by fishing trawlers Marine Science and STEM Dr Van Dover is a marine scientist These researchers study oceans Marine science is also called oceanography It includes several fields Marine biologists study ocean plants and animals Marine geologists study the ocean floor Marine chemists study the ocean’s chemical properties 6 Weird Creatures Animals around hydrothermal vents are varied and unusual They include red-tipped tubeworms up to six feet 1 8 m long There are shrimp with eyes on their backs There are ghostly white fish giant clams and yellow mussels There are huge beds of sea anemones They all live in darkness and crushing pressures They get heat from deep-sea volcanoes Bacteria around the vents provide the creatures with energy

Marine Science in the Real World — page 4 — Marine scientists use technology to study the ocean environment and its organisms 7

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