Water Science

El Nino and La Nina (Water Science)

El Nino and La Nina are changes in the winds and ocean currents of the tropical Pacific Ocean that have far-reaching effects on global weather patterns. Together, El Nino and La Nina are extremes that make up a cycle called the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). An oscillation is a repeated movement or time period. […]

Fish (Saltwater)

There are over thirty thousand different species of fish, and they are the most numerous vertebrates. Vertebrates are animals that have a bony spine that contains a nerve (spinal) chord. Vertebrates usually have an internal skeleton that provides support and protection for internal organs. This spine and skeleton allow vertebrates to move quickly and to […]

Geology of the Ocean Floor (Water Science)

Geology is the study of the solid Earth and its history. Marine geology is the study of the solid rock and basins that contain the oceans. The rocks and sediments (particles of sand, gravel, and silt) that lie beneath the oceans contain a record book of Earth’s past. Topographic features (the physical features of the […]

Islands (Water Science)

Islands are land areas smaller than a continent that are completely surrounded by water. Islands range in size from islets (small islands) barely exposed at high tide, to vast landmasses almost the size of continents. Islands exist in all the ocean basins (the deep part of the ocean floor), along coastlines, and in freshwater lakes […]

Kelp and Seaweed (Water Science)

From the tiniest of bacteria to the massive blue whale, the world’s oceans and freshwater support a tremendous variety of life. Often, a beachcomber will find rubbery plants washed up on the shoreline. These exotic-looking plants are seaweed. A dive below the surface of coastal waters in some areas of the world, such as California, […]

Layers of the Ocean (Water Science)

Oceanographers (scientists who study the oceans) often divide the ocean into horizontal layers. They use the physical characteristics of the water such as temperature, density, and the amount of light at different depths to classify these layers. The most important factor is the density of the water, which is determined by the combination of salinity […]

Marine Invertebrates (Water Science)

Invertebrates are animals that do not have a bony internal skeleton, although many do have hard outer coverings that provide structure and protection. More than 90% of all animals are invertebrates and they are classified into at least 33 major groups, or phyla. Nearly every phylum of invertebrates has members that live in the oceans. […]

Marine Mammals (Water Science)

Mammals are vertebrates (animals with a backbone) that share characteristics of nursing their young with milk, breathing air, having hair at some point in their lives, and being warm-blooded. Marine mammals are the species of mammals that depend on the oceans for all or most of their lives. There are about 115 different species of […]

Plankton (Water Science)

Plankton is a general term that includes plants, animals, and bacteria that drift through lakes and the oceans. Plankton are the foundation for all life in the ocean and produce much of the oxygen that sustains life on Earth. Plankton represents a diverse and large group of organisms. Often, the only factor that the nearly […]

Tides (Water Science)

Tides are the alternating rise and fall of bodies of water, relative to land. Each 24-hour period, there are two high tides and two low tides. The arrival times and heights of the tides change every day and follow a pattern over days, months, and seasons. The shape of a coastline, water depth, shape of […]