Organic world, natural resources and environmental problems of the Atlantic Ocean. Energy and chemical resources of the Atlantic Ocean

Climate and hydrological regime of the Atlantic Ocean. Hydrological resources.

Diversity climatic conditions on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean is determined by its large meridional extent and circulation air masses under influence four main atmospheric centers: Greenland and Antarctic max., Icelandic and Antarctic minima. In addition, two anticyclones are constantly active in the subtropics: the Azores and the South Atlantic. They are separated by an equatorial region of low pressure. This distribution of pressure regions determines the system of prevailing winds in the Atlantic. The greatest influence on the temperature regime of the Atlantic Ocean is exerted not only by its large meridional extent, but also by water exchange with the North Arctic Ocean, the seas of Antarctica and Mediterranean Sea. Tropical latitudes are characterized by tempera. - 20 °C. To the north and south of the tropics are located subtropical zones with more noticeable seasonal ones (from 10 °C in winter to 20 °C in summer). Tropical hurricanes are a frequent occurrence in the subtropical zone. In temperate latitudes average temperature himself warm month It stays within 10-15 °C, and the coldest is −10 °C. Precipitation is about 1000 mm.

Surface currents. Northern Trade Wind Current(t)>Antilles(t)>Mexico. Gulf>Florida(t)>Gulf Stream>North Atlantic(t)>Canary(x)>North Trade Wind Current(t) – northern gyre.

Southern trade wind>Guiana heat. (north) and Brazilian heat. (south)>current Western winds(x)>Bengela(x)>Southern trade winds – southern gyre.

IN Atlantic Ocean there are several tiers deep sea currents. A powerful countercurrent passes under the Gulf Stream, the main core of which lies at a depth of up to 3500 m, with a speed of 20 cm/s. The powerful deep Louisiana Current is observed in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, formed by the bottom runoff of saltier and warmer Mediterranean waters through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Confined to the Atlantic Ocean largest values tides, which are recorded in the fiord bays of Canada (in Ungava Bay - 12.4 m, in Frobisher Bay - 16.6 m) and Great Britain (up to 14.4 m in Bristol Bay). The highest tide in the world was recorded in the Bay of Fundy, on the east coast of Canada, where maximum tide reaches 15.6-18 m.

Salinity. Highest salinity surface waters V open ocean observed in the subtropical zone (up to 37.25 ‰), and the maximum in the Mediterranean Sea is 39 ‰. In the equatorial zone, where it is noted maximum amount precipitation, salinity decreases to 34 ‰. A sharp desalination of water occurs in the estuary areas (for example, at the mouth of La Plata 18-19 ‰).

Ice formation. Ice formation in the Atlantic Ocean occurs in the Greenland and Baffin seas and Antarctic waters. The main source of icebergs in the South Atlantic is the Filchner Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea. Floating ice in the northern hemisphere in July they reach 40°N.

Upwelling. Along the entire western coast of Africa there is a particularly powerful upwelling zone caused by wind driven water,<связан. с пассатной циркуляцией. Также это зоны у Зелёного мыса, у берегов Анголы и Конго. Эти области наиболее благоприятны для развития орг. мира.

The bottom flora of the northern part of the Atlantic is represented by brown (mainly fucoids, and in the subditorial zone - kelp and alaria) and red algae. In the tropical zone, green algae (caulerpa), red algae (calcareous lithothamnia) and brown algae (sargassum) predominate. In the southern hemisphere, bottom vegetation is mainly represented by kelp forests. There are 245 species of phytoplankton in the Atlantic Ocean: peridinea, coccolithophores, and diatoms. The latter have a clearly defined zonal distribution; their maximum number lives in the temperate latitudes of the northern and southern hemispheres. The population of diatoms is most dense in the zone of the Western Wind Current.

The distribution of the fauna of the Atlantic Ocean has a pronounced zonal character. In the subantarctic and antarctic In the waters, notothenia, blue whiting and others are of commercial importance. Benthos and plankton in the Atlantic are poor in both species and biomass. In the subantarctic zone and in the adjacent temperate zone, biomass reaches its maximum. The zooplankton is dominated by copepods and pteropods; the nekton is dominated by mammals such as whales (blue whale), pinnipeds, and their fish - nototheniids. In the tropical zone, zooplankton is represented by numerous species of foraminifera and pteropods, several species of radiolarians, copepods, larvae of mollusks and fish, as well as siphonophores, various jellyfish, large cephalopods (squid), and, among benthic forms, octopuses. Commercial fish are represented by mackerel, tuna, sardines, and in areas of cold currents - anchovies. To tropical and subtropical corals are confined to the zones. Temperate latitudes The northern hemisphere is characterized by abundant life with a relatively small diversity of species. Of the commercial fish, the most important are herring, cod, haddock, halibut, and sea bass. Foraminifera and copepods are the most characteristic of zooplankton. The greatest abundance of plankton is in the area of the Newfoundland Bank and the Norwegian Sea. The deep-sea fauna is represented by crustaceans, echinoderms, specific species of fish, sponges, and hydroids. Several species of endemic polychaetes, isopods, and holothurians have been found in the Puerto Rico Trench.

There are 4 biogeographical regions in the Atlantic Ocean: 1. Arctic; 2. North Atlantic; 3. Tropico-Atlantic; 4. Antarctic.

Biological resources. The Atlantic Ocean provides 2/5 of the world's catch and its share has been decreasing over the years. In subantarctic and Antarctic waters, notothenia, whiting and others are of commercial importance, in the tropical zone - mackerel, tuna, sardine, in areas of cold currents - anchovies, in temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere - herring, cod, haddock, halibut, sea bass. In the 1970s, due to overfishing of some fish species, fishing volumes declined sharply, but after the introduction of strict limits, fish stocks are gradually recovering. There are several international fisheries conventions in force in the Atlantic Ocean basin, which aim at the effective and rational use of biological resources, based on the application of scientifically based measures to regulate fishing.

Some areas of the Atlantic shelf are rich in coal. The largest underwater coal mining is carried out by Great Britain. The largest exploited North Tumberland-Derham field with reserves of about 550 million tons is located on the north-east coast of England. Coal deposits have been explored in the shelf zone northeast of Cape Breton Island. However, in the economy, underwater coal is of less importance than offshore oil and gas fields. The main supplier of monazite to the world market is Brazil. The USA is also a leading producer of concentrates of ilmenite, rutile and zircon (placers of these metals are almost universally distributed on the North American shelf - from California to Alaska). Of significant interest are the cassiterite placers off the coast of Australia, off the Cornwall peninsula (Great Britain), and in Brittany (France). The largest accumulations of ferruginous sands in terms of reserves are located in Canada. Ferrous sands are also mined in New Zealand. Placer gold in coastal-marine sediments has been discovered on the western shores of the United States and Canada.

The main deposits of coastal-marine diamondiferous sands are concentrated on the southwestern coast of Africa, where they are confined to deposits of terraces, beaches and shelves to depths of 120 m. Significant marine terrace diamond placers are located in Namibia. African coastal-sea placers are promising.

In the coastal zone of the shelf there are underwater deposits of iron ore. The most significant development of offshore iron ore deposits is carried out in Canada, on the east coast of Newfoundland (Wabana deposit). In addition, Canada mines iron ore in Hudson Bay.

Copper and nickel are extracted in small quantities from underwater mines (Canada - in the Hudson Bay). Tin mining is carried out on the Cornwall peninsula (England). In Turkey, on the coast of the Aegean Sea, mercury ores are mined. Sweden mines iron, copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver in the Gulf of Bothnia.

Large salt sedimentary basins in the form of salt domes or strata deposits are often found on the shelf, slope, foot of continents and in deep-sea depressions (Gulf of Mexico, shelves and slopes of Western Africa, Europe). The minerals of these basins are represented by sodium, potassium and magnesite salts, and gypsum. Calculating these reserves is difficult: the volume of potassium salts alone is estimated to range from hundreds of millions of tons to 2 billion tons. There are two salt domes in operation in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana.

More than 2 million tons of sulfur are extracted from underwater deposits. The largest accumulation of sulfur, Grand Isle, located 10 miles off the coast of Louisiana, is exploited. Industrial reserves of phosphorites have been found near the Californian and Mexican coasts, along the coastal zones of South Africa, Argentina, and off the coast of New Zealand. Phosphorites are mined in the California region from depths of 80-330 m, where the concentration averages 75 kg/m3.

A large number of offshore oil and gas fields have been identified in the Atlantic Ocean and its seas, including some of the highest levels of production of these fuels in the world. They are located in different areas of the ocean shelf zone. In its western part, the subsoil of the Maracaibo lagoon is distinguished by very large reserves and production volumes. Oil is extracted here from more than 4,500 wells, from which 93 million tons of “black gold” were obtained in 2006. The Gulf of Mexico is considered one of the richest offshore oil and gas regions in the world, believing that only a small portion of potential oil and gas reserves have been identified in it at present. 14,500 wells have been drilled at the bottom of the bay. In 2011, 60 million tons of oil and 120 billion m3 of gas were produced from 270 offshore fields, and in total, 590 million tons of oil and 679 billion m3 of gas were extracted here during development. The most significant of them are located off the coast of the Paraguano Peninsula, in the Gulf of Paria and off the island of Trinidad. Oil reserves here amount to tens of millions of tons.

In addition to the above-mentioned areas, three large oil and gas provinces can be traced in the western Atlantic. One of them stretches from Davis Strait to the latitude of New York. Within its boundaries, industrial oil reserves have so far been identified in Labrador and south of Newfoundland. The second oil and gas province stretches along the coast of Brazil from Cape Calcañar in the north to Rio de Janeiro in the south. 25 deposits have already been discovered here. The third province occupies the coastal areas of Argentina from the Gulf of San Jorge to the Strait of Magellan. Only small deposits have been discovered in it, which are not yet profitable for offshore development.

In the shelf zone of the eastern coast of the Atlantic, oil shows were discovered south of Scotland and Ireland, off the coast of Portugal, in the Bay of Biscay. A large oil and gas bearing area is located near the African continent. About 8 million tons come from oil fields concentrated near Angola.

Very significant oil and gas resources are concentrated in the depths of some seas of the Atlantic Ocean. Among them, the most important place is occupied by the North Sea, which has no equal in the pace of development of underwater oil and gas fields. Significant underwater oil and gas deposits have been explored in the Mediterranean Sea, where 10 oil and 17 offshore gas fields are currently operating. Significant volumes of oil are extracted from fields located off the coasts of Greece and Tunisia. Gas is being developed in the Gulf of Sidra (Bol. Sirte, Libya), off the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea. In the future, the subsoil of the Mediterranean Sea should produce at least 20 million tons of oil per year.

Biological resources of the Atlantic Ocean and features of their development.

It has significant biological resources, which is associated with a relatively developed shelf. Active general circulation of water forms vast zones of increased biological productivity in the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is the most productive of all the basins of the World Ocean (260 kg/km2). Its most productive zone - the shelf - occupies 7.4% of the total ocean area. The most productive zones are the upwelling areas off the coast of Portugal, North-West. and South-West. Africa, convective mixing of Atlantic waters and waters of the Polar Basin (the Gulf Stream and its system). Local zones exist in the North. the sea off the southern coast of Norway, off South America (along the Falkland Current). Until 1958 Atl. The ocean led in fish catches and seafood production. However, many years of intensive fishing had a negative impact on the raw material base in the 1990s. catches amounted to 22–24 million tons with minor annual fluctuations. The largest catch is from the North-East (45.6%) (The increased intensity of the formation of organic matter by planktonic algae during photosynthesis, as well as the high content of zooplankton biomass in the 100-meter layer ensures high fish productivity in open and coastal waters: from 500 kg/km 2 on long approaches to the shores of Iceland, Portugal, France up to 1000 kg/km 2 off the coast of Great Britain and in the North Sea), Central-Eastern (15.6%), South-West (9.3%) and North- 3rd (9.2%) fishing areas. Among the leading fishing countries, whose catches exceed 1 million tons, at the beginning of the 21st century. Included were the USA, Canada, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Russia, Spain, Morocco. Argentina (0.9 million tons), Great Britain (0.73 million tons) and South Africa (0.75 million tons) are close to the group of leading countries.

Energy and chemical resources of the Atlantic Ocean.

In the waters of Atl. In the ocean, the largest producers of desalinated water are the USA, Tunisia, Libya, the Netherlands, Cuba, and Spain (Canary Islands). The Atlantic countries extract table salt, magnesium, bromine from sea water (Great Britain, Italy, France, Spain, Canada, Argentina, etc.) To meet the water needs of 100 million people, the annual volume of desalination must be 10 million m 3. The main producers in Atl. Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Northern countries are in the ocean. Africa. In the United States, about 5% of salt consumed comes from seawater. MG- from sea water in the ocean lead to Great Britain, France, USA, Italy, Tunisia, Israel, Canada, Germany, Mexico. Marine mining provides about 60% of the world's magnesium production. BR- Despite its low concentration, bromine became the first substance to be industrially produced; it is widely used as an anti-knock additive in the production of gasoline. Large plants for extracting bromine from sea water have been created in the USA, Great Britain, Argentina, and Canada. K – Dead Sea in Israel, Italy. Energy is possessed by sea currents, waves, tides, and vertical movements of water. Energy can be generated due to the temperature difference between surface and deep waters. Humanity has practically begun to harness the energy of tides, and projects have been developed to use the energy of waves, surf and currents. The first industrial power plant was built in France (in 1967, with a capacity of 240 thousand kW) at the mouth of the river. Rance, where the tide reaches 13.5 m. More powerful tidal power plants are being designed - in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel in France (with a capacity of 10 million kW), in the estuary of the river. The Severn flows into Bristol Bay in England. A joint American-Canadian tidal power plant with a capacity of 1 million kW has been designed in the Bay of Fundy. Small sea-thermal stations have been created in France, and research is underway in the USA. French specialists have created a sea-thermal station off the coast of Côte d’Ivoire

The Atlantic Ocean is located mainly in. Western Hemisphere. From north to south it stretches for 16 thousand km. In the northern and southern parts, the ocean expands, and in equatorial latitudes it sounds up to 2900 km.

. Atlantic Ocean- the second largest among the oceans. Ocean coastline in. The northern hemisphere is heavily dissected by peninsulas and bays. Continents in the ocean have many islands, internal and marginal seas

Bottom relief

It stretches across the entire ocean at approximately equal distances from the shores of the continents. Mid-ocean ridge. The relative height of the ridge is 2 km. In the axial part of the ridge there is a rift valley from 6 to. ZO. km and a depth of up to 2 km. Transverse faults divide the ridge into separate segments. Associated with rifts and faults at mid-ocean ridges are active underwater volcanoes and volcanoes. And Slandia and. Azores Islands. The ocean has its greatest depth within the trench. Puerto Rico - 8742 m. Shelf area. The Atlantic Ocean is quite large - larger than the. Pacific Ocean.

Climate

The Atlantic Ocean is located in all climate zones. Earth, so its climates are very diverse. Most of the ocean (between 40°N and 42°S) is located in the subtropical, tropical, subequatorial and equatorial climate zones. The southern parts of the ocean are characterized by a strict climate, and the northern regions are somewhat less cold.

Properties of waters and ocean currents

The zoning of water masses in the ocean is very complicated by the influence of land and sea currents, which is manifested primarily in the temperature distribution of surface waters. The northern half of the ocean is warmer than the southern half, with different temperatures reaching up to 6 °. C. The average surface water temperature is 16.5 °C.

Salinity of surface waters c. Atlantic Ocean high. Many large rivers flow into the ocean and its seas (Amazon, Coigo, Mississippi, Nile, Danube, Parana, etc.). Ice forms in the desalinated bays and seas of subpolar and temperate latitudes in winter off the eastern shores. A special feature of the ocean is the numerous icebergs and floating sea ice that are carried here from. Northern. Arctic Ocean and from the shores. Antarcticatidi.

Due to the strong elongation. The Atlantic Ocean from north to south has more developed ocean currents in the meridional direction than in the latitudinal direction. In the Atlantic, two systems are formed on top of the currents. In the Northern Hemisphere it looks like a figure eight -. Northern. Passatnaya,. Gulf Stream. North Atlantic and. The Ka-Nar currents form a clockwise movement of water in temperate and tropical latitudes. In the northern part. The North Atlantic Current guides the waters. Atlantic to North. Arctic Ocean counterclockwise. Like cold currents they return to. Atlantic Ocean in the northeastern part. B. Southern Hemisphere. South. Passatnaya,. Brazilian,. Western. Vetrov and. The Benguela currents form a counterclockwise movement of water in the form of one ring.

Organic world

Atlantic Ocean compared to. Quiet had a poorer species composition of living organisms. However, in terms of quantity and total biomass, then. The Atlantic Ocean is rich in organisms. This is primarily due to the significant spread of the shelf, on which many bottom and bottom fish live (cod, perch, flounder, etc.).

Natural complexes

In the Atlantic Ocean, all zonal complexes are distinguished - natural zones, except for the North Polar. The waters of the north subpolar zone are rich in various types of living organisms - especially on the shelf near the Berets. Greenland and. Labrador. The temperate zone is characterized by intense interaction between cold and warm waters and an abundance of living organisms. These are the most fishing areas. Atlantic. Large expanses of warm waters of the subtropical, tropical and equatorial zones are less productive than the waters of the northern temperate zone. In the northern subtropical zone there is a special natural water complex. Sargassovo in the sea. It is characterized by increased water salinity - up to 37.5% and low productivity.

In the temperate zone. In the southern hemisphere (as in the northern) there are complexes where waters of different temperatures and densities mix. The complexes of the subantarctic and antarctic belts are characterized by the seasonal distribution of floating ice and icebergs.

Economic use

In the Atlantic Ocean, all types of maritime activities are represented, among which the greatest importance is maritime, transport, underwater oil and gas production, and only then - the use of biological resources

. Atlantic Ocean- the main sea route of the world, an area of intense shipping. On the banks. The Atlantic Ocean is home to more than 70 coastal countries with a population of more than 1.3 billion people

The mineral resources of the ocean include placer deposits of rare metals, diamonds, and gold. In the depths of the shelf, reserves of iron ore and sulfur are concentrated, large deposits of oil and gas have been discovered, and are exploited by many countries (North Sea, etc.). Some shelf areas are rich in coal. Ocean energy is used to operate tidal power plants (for example, at the mouth of the Rance River in the north of France).

Many Atlantic countries extract mineral resources such as table salt, magnesium, bromine, and uranium from the ocean and its seas. Desalination plants operate in dry areas

The biological resources of the ocean are also being intensively used. The Atlantic Ocean is the largest per unit area, but its biological resources are depleted in some areas

Due to intensive economic activity in many seas in the open ocean, natural conditions are deteriorating - water and air pollution, a decrease in stocks of valuable commercial fish, etc. Other animals. Recreational conditions on the ocean shores are deteriorating.

Organic world of the Atlantic Ocean. Biological resources.

The bottom flora of the northern part of the Atlantic is represented by brown (mainly fucoids, and in the subditorial zone - kelp and alaria) and red algae. In the tropical zone, green algae (caulerpa), red algae (calcareous lithothamnia) and brown algae (sargassum) predominate. In the southern hemisphere, bottom vegetation is mainly represented by kelp forests. Phytoplankton of the Atlantic Ocean has 245 species: peridinians, coccolithophores, diatoms. The latter have a clearly defined zonal distribution; their maximum number lives in the temperate latitudes of the northern and southern hemispheres. The population of diatoms is most dense in the zone of the Western Wind Current.

The distribution of the fauna of the Atlantic Ocean has a pronounced zonal character.
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In the subantarctic and antarctic In the waters, notothenia, blue whiting and others are of commercial importance. Benthos and plankton in the Atlantic are poor in both species and biomass. In the subantarctic zone and in the adjacent temperate zone, biomass reaches its maximum. The zooplankton is dominated by copepods and pteropods; the nekton is dominated by mammals such as whales (blue whale), pinnipeds, and their fish - nototheniids. In the tropical zone, zooplankton is represented by numerous species of foraminifera and pteropods, several species of radiolarians, copepods, larvae of mollusks and fish, as well as siphonophores, various jellyfish, large cephalopods (squid), and, among benthic forms, octopuses. Commercial fish are represented by mackerel, tuna, sardines, and in areas of cold currents - anchovies. To tropical and subtropical corals are confined to the zones. Temperate latitudes The northern hemisphere is characterized by abundant life with a relatively small diversity of species. Of the commercial fish, the most important are herring, cod, haddock, halibut, and sea bass. Foraminifera and copepods are the most characteristic of zooplankton. The greatest abundance of plankton is in the area of the Newfoundland Bank and the Norwegian Sea. The deep-sea fauna is represented by crustaceans, echinoderms, specific species of fish, sponges, and hydroids. Several species of endemic polychaetes, isopods, and holothurians have been found in the Puerto Rico Trench.

There are 4 biogeographical regions in the Atlantic Ocean: 1. Arctic; 2. North Atlantic; 3. Tropico-Atlantic; 4. Antarctic.

Organic world of the Atlantic Ocean. Biological resources. - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Organic world of the Atlantic Ocean. Biological resources." 2017, 2018.