Marine life - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
网页2021年5月26日 · Understanding the life cycles, habits, habitats, and inter-relationships of marine life contributes to our understanding of the planet as a whole. Human influences and reliance on these species, as well as changing environmental conditions, will determine the future health of these marine inhabitants. Toxic spills, oxygen-depleted dead zones ...
Coral reef ecosystems - National Oceanic and Atmospheric …
网页2019年2月1日 · Coral reef diversity. Because of the diversity of life found in the habitats created by corals, reefs are often called the "rainforests of the sea." About 25% of the ocean's fish depend on healthy coral reefs. Fishes and other organisms shelter, find food, reproduce, and rear their young in the many nooks and crannies formed by corals.
Ocean pollution and marine debris | National Oceanic and …
网页2020年4月1日 · Marine debris. Marine debris is a persistent pollution problem that reaches throughout the entire ocean and Great Lakes. Our ocean and waterways are polluted with a wide variety of marine debris, ranging from tiny microplastics, smaller than 5 mm, to derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels. Worldwide, hundreds of marine species have been ...
Sea turtles - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
网页2019年2月1日 · Sea turtles breathe air, like all reptiles, and have streamlined bodies with large flippers. They are well adapted to life in the ocean and inhabit tropical and subtropical ocean waters around the world. Of the seven species of sea turtles, six are found in U.S. waters; these include the green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and …
Oil spills - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
网页2020年8月1日 · Oil is an ancient fossil fuel that we use to heat our homes, generate electricity, and power large sectors of our economy. But when oil accidentally spills into the ocean, it can cause big problems. Oil spills can harm sea creatures, ruin a day at the beach, and make seafood unsafe to eat. It takes sound science to clean up the oil, measure the …
Marine mammals - National Oceanic and Atmospheric …
网页2019年2月1日 · Marine mammals are found in marine ecosystems around the globe. They are a diverse group of mammals with unique physical adaptations that allow them to thrive in the marine environment with extreme temperatures, depths, pressure, and darkness. Marine mammals are classified into four different taxonomic groups: cetaceans (whales, …
Helping marine life in distress | National Oceanic and Atmospheric ...
网页2016年1月25日 · NOAA coordinates the marine mammal stranding response program, with volunteers from nonprofit organizations, aquariums, universities, federal, state, and local government agencies. Currently, NOAA has authorized more than 120 organizations to respond to marine life in distress, each with different rescue and rehabilitation specialties.
Aquatic food webs - National Oceanic and Atmospheric …
网页2019年2月1日 · Phytoplankton and algae form the bases of aquatic food webs. They are eaten by primary consumers like zooplankton, small fish, and crustaceans. Primary consumers are in turn eaten by fish, small sharks, corals, and baleen whales. Top ocean predators include large sharks, billfish, dolphins, toothed whales, and large seals.
Coral reefs: Essential and threatened | National Oceanic and ...
网页2016年4月14日 · Hidden beneath the ocean waters, coral reefs teem with life. Fish, corals, lobsters, clams, seahorses, sponges and sea turtles are only a few of the thousands of creatures that rely on reefs for their survival. Corals are animals, even though they may exhibit some of the characteristics of plants and are often mistaken for rocks.
Ocean acidification: A wake-up call in our waters
网页2016年4月1日 · Ocean acidification, driven by an overload of CO2 in our seas, is literally causing a sea change, threatening the chemical balance of ocean and coastal waters worldwide. Ocean acidification is a severe threat to shellfish, corals and other marine life because corrosive water can destroy their protective shells and skeletons, putting foo.