Oceans: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

This slim volume with its elegant prose is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand why oceans are central to the flourishing of humans as well as the planet itself." - Professor Paul Pinet, Colgate University . "Dorrik Stow's book is a keenly observed narrative about the beauty and complexity of Earth's oceans

His most recent books include Encyclopedia of the Oceans (OUP, 2004), Sedimentary Rocks in the Field: AColour Guide (Manson Publishing, 2005), and Vanished Ocean (OUP, 2012).. Professor Dorrik Stow, of Heriot-Watt University, is a sedimentologist and oceanographer. As well as publishing over 200

Liquid water covers more than 70% of our planet's surface and, in past geological time, has spread over 85%. 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. 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. 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. Nutrients in upwelling areas are spread by ocean currents, and the plankton of the seas supports a wealth of wildlife. The importance of the oceans to life on Earth cannot be overstated. 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 physi