{"product_id":"oceans-a-very-short-introduction-9780199655076","title":"Oceans: A Very Short Introduction","description":"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.\u003cbr\u003eToday 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\u003cbr\u003eimportant 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\u003cbr\u003esupports a wealth of wildlife. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this \u003cem\u003eVery Short Introduction\u003c\/em\u003e 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\u003cbr\u003escientific 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\u003cbr\u003erich 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\u003cbr\u003eocean-Earth systems and their interaction with the human environment is vital to our understanding of how we can preserve these ultimately fragile environments. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eABOUT THE SERIES: The \u003cem\u003eVery Short Introductions\u003c\/em\u003e 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\u003cbr\u003eenthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=AUTH-750801\"\u003eDorrik Stow\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/01\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 152\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.40lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 6.80h x 4.30w x 0.50d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780199655076\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0199655073\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBISAC Categories:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-SCI\"\u003eScience\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-SCI081000\"\u003eEarth Sciences | Hydrology\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-SCI\"\u003eScience\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-SCI052000\"\u003eEarth Sciences | Oceanography\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-TRV\"\u003eTravel\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-TRV000000\"\u003eGeneral\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProfessor\u003cstrong\u003e Dorrik Stow\u003c\/strong\u003e, of Heriot-Watt University, is a sedimentologist and oceanographer. As well as publishing over 200 research papers, he has been active in science outreach, lecturing widely. His most recent books include \u003cem\u003eEncyclopedia of the Oceans\u003c\/em\u003e (OUP, 2004), \u003cem\u003eSedimentary Rocks in the Field: A\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eColour Guide\u003c\/em\u003e (Manson Publishing, 2005), and \u003cem\u003eVanished Ocean\u003c\/em\u003e (OUP, 2012).\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oxford University Press, USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42686382211309,"sku":"9780199655076","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/8097\/6621\/products\/img_80e25d6a-cbcf-4653-ace1-cec539fc6bb2.jpg?v=1649776205","url":"https:\/\/sureshotbooks.com\/products\/oceans-a-very-short-introduction-9780199655076","provider":"SureShot Books Publishing LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}