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Dive deep to explore the oceanFrom how most of our oxygen is created by phytoplankton, to how currents control our climate, to the marine food chain and the importance of coral, this is the holy grail of ocean books that's easy for everyone to digest.It features fun facts about some of the most incredible, bizarre, and fascinating creatures in the ocean, from mantis shrimp that can strike things with the speed of a .22 caliber bullet to fish with clear heads that can see out of the top of their skulls. The ocean is full of wonders and there is still so much left to explore and understand. How our oceans work What creatures live in the ocean Find out how the ocean regulates our climate and weather patterns How growing pollution threatens our ocean and its inhabitants Oceans For Dummies is perfect for anyone with an interest in the ocean, including kids, adults, students, ocean lovers, surfers, fishermen, conservationists, sailors, and everyone in between.
List of contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting Started with Your Ocean Voyage 5
Chapter 1: Brushing Up on Ocean Fundamentals 7
Chapter 2: Appreciating the Ocean's Many Gifts 19
Chapter 3: Looking Back at the Ocean's History (and Prehistory) 29
Part 2: Finding Your Way Around 55
Chapter 4: Mapping the Ocean by Zones 57
Chapter 5: Checking Out the Neighborhoods: The Ocean's Ecosystems 73
Chapter 6: Taking a Deeper Dive: Beneath the Ocean 99
Part 3: Sampling the Vast Diversity of Sea Life 109
Chapter 7: Getting to Know the Mighty Microbes 111
Chapter 8: Sorting Out Algae, Seaweed, and Other Aquatic Vegetation 127
Chapter 9: Getting the Lowdown on Simple Invertebrates 141
Chapter 10: Getting Mushy over Mollusks 159
Chapter 11: Wearing Their Skeletons on the Outside: Crustaceans 177
Chapter 12: Getting Chummy with Fish: Bony and Otherwise 195
Chapter 13: Meeting a Few Marine Reptiles 217
Chapter 14: Bird Watching in and Near the Ocean 231
Chapter 15: Getting Warm and Fuzzy with Marine Mammals 257
Part 4: Grasping Basic Ocean Physics 285
Chapter 16: Following the Ocean in Motion 287
Chapter 17: Driving Climate and Weather 307
Part 5: Understanding the Human-Ocean Connection 319
Chapter 18: Taking a Quick Dip into the History of Underwater Exploration 321
Chapter 19: Tapping the Ocean's Resources: The Blue Economy 341
Chapter 20: Governing the Ocean: Treaties, Laws, Agreements, and Enforcement 353
Chapter 21: Taking Care of the Ocean That Takes Care of Us 363
Part 6: The Part of Tens 385
Chapter 22: Ten Deadly Ocean Creatures 387
Chapter 23: Ten Ocean Myths Busted 395
Chapter 24: Ten Ways You Can Help Preserve the Ocean 401
Index 411
