Oceans

- Concise overview of marine sciences - Contains both the scientific and the organisational perspective - Thorough discussion of projected problems in the near future - Contributions from internationally renowned authors Although they cover most of the surface of our planet, the oceans are still largely unexplored. Yet they provide some of the only detailed records of conditions on our planet back into the deep past and are arguably going to play a fundamental role, by responding to the atmospheric engineering experiment the human race is presently carrying out, in our future. The volume describes what is known about the Earth's oceans, from the internal structure of the plates which make up their floors to their role in climate control. It examines their potential for providing living and non-living resources and the threats posed to them by mankind's activities.