1. The sea is big; it covers more than 70% of the earth’s

surface.

2. The sea is deep ; in some areas the ocean bottom lies

more than 6 miles (10km) below the surface.

3. The sea is continues; not separated as land and freshwater

habitats.

4. The sea is in continuous circulation.

5. The sea is dominated by waves of many kinds and

produced tides produced by the pull of moons and the sun.

SEA FEATURES

6. The sea is salty . The salinity of the open sea is fairly constant. Sea water contains biogenic ions. Biogenic salt are dissolved salt vital life.

7. The concentration of dissolve nutrients is low and constitute and important limiting factors in determining the size of marine population.

8. The ocean and some groups of organism that live in it older than the ocean floor which is constantly being altered And renewed by tectonic and sedimentary processes.

The range of temperature is far away in land,

although the range of variation in temperature over

the ocean is considerably arctic water at negative

degrees Celsius are much colder than the tropical

water.

temperature

In many places around the continents the land

gradually slopes under water to a depth of about

600ft. (180m). This submerged land called the

continental shelf. In some areas, the continental shelf

extends hundreds of miles or kilometers.

zonation

The shallow water zone is the zone between high and

low tides. The oceanic zone is the zone of the open

ocean beyond continental shelf.

The deepest portion of the sea is called abyssal.

zonation

The upper layer of ocean water exhibits stratification

of temperature. Depth below 300m are usually

thermally stable. In high and low latitudes,

temperature remain fairly constant throughout the

year. In middle latitude, temperatures varies with

season and is associated with climate changes. In

summer, the surface water become warmer and

lighter forming a temporary seasonal thermocline.

stratification

Is an area where freshwater flows into the sea. It is

zone between freshwater and marine biomes.

Estuary act as the nursery for the young of many

marine fishes and shellfish used by human for

foods.

Salinity the distribution of life in the estuary.

Estuarine ecology

Mangroves are among the few emergent land plant thattolerates the salinity of the open sea.

Red mangroves have an extinctive disposition of mud,silt, and provide surfaces for attachment on marineorganism.

Mangroves are not only important in extending coastand building island, but also in protecting coast fromexcessive erosion whish otherwise produced piercetropical storm.

Mangroves and coral reefs

Coral reefs are widely distributed in shallow waters

of warm seas.

There are three kinds of coral reef fringing which

grows along the rocky shores of island s continents,

and atolls, horsed shaped surrounding lagoons.

Such lagoons are about 40 m deep are usually

connected to the open sea by breaking in the reefs.

Mangroves and coral reefs

Coral reefs are complex ecosystem involving closerelationship between coral and algae.

At night coral polyps feed, extending their tentaclesto capture zooplanktons from the water and thussecuring phosphorus and other elements needed bythe coral land its symbiotic algae.

During the day, the algae absorb sunlight and carryon the photosynthesis and directly transfer organicmaterials to coral tissues .

Mangroves and coral reefs

The Spaniards have use coral reef resources for

building churches and houses.

Highway builders have use coral stone in paving

streets and road.

Coral reef s serves as tools and even in laboratories

in science.

Other uses of corals

These benefits from coral reef may not last long if

our ways continue as they are. Natural causes such

as typhoons, el Niño, and predation can already

greatly reduce the coral reefs. But with continued

careless activities of man, coral reef may be on the

verge of extinction.

Some of these activities like extraction of corals for

sale to tourist in shops, dynamite fishing, etc.

Threats coral reefs

Do not collect corals when you go to the beach.

Do not buy fancy jewelry or accessories made from

corals.

When going scuba diving, do not step or touch the

coral animals, no matter how attractive they look.

Do not throw waste into the seas or beach when

you go out swimming.

Ways to prevent the extinction of corals:

Watch out pollution culprits like factories , ships,construction, etc. Report them to your local officeof the DENR.

Participate in education campaign that someNGO’s government may be doing on the way tosave coral reefs,

Report to the local DENR any knowledge you haveon illegal ways of fishing like muro – ami, use ofsmall meshed nets etc.

Ways to prevent the extinction of corals:

Write to the newspaper , TV, or radio station, etc.

about these violation or if you see an activity which

destroy the natural resources in general.

Ways to prevent the extinction of corals: