The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans"From space, Planet Earth is blue. It floats like a jewel in the inky black void. The reflection of the sun's light from the vast expanse of water covering its surface creates it gemlike blue color. In the entire solar system, Earth is the only planet that has water in liquid form in such quantities." Scientist have calculated that 70 percent of our planet is covered by water; small wonder that the human being shave always been so fascinated by the oceans and what lies beneath. Today, while we still have so much more of the ocean realm to uncover, we have discovered enough to know that beneath the waves lies a vast treasure-trove of rich and diverse life. Accompanying the television series of the same name, The Blue Planet leads up on a voyage of exploration from the coasts, the very edges of the oceans, to the deep where weird and monstrous fish lurk in a world of perpetual darkness. Along the way we are introduced to a whole host of wonderful creatures -- from tiny copepods to majestic blue whales, and from the grotesque hairy anglerfish, to the amazing tripod fish that stands on its three delicate legs waiting to snap up unsuspecting prey. Complete with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough and 400 full-color photographs, The Blue Planet is the first complete and comprehensive portrait of the whole ocean system. |
Contents
Foreword by Sir David Attenborough | 10 |
With water generally so available to us at the turn of a tap it is easy to forget how essential it | 16 |
L | 55 |
Copyright | |
8 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans Andrew Byatt,Alastair Fothergill,Martha Holmes No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
algae anglerfish animals Antarctic Arctic areas Atlantic bacteria beach bioluminescence body breeding burrows cent chicks coast cold colonies colour continental copepods coral reefs crabs creatures crust crustaceans currents dark zone deep ocean deep-sea floor depths dive dolphin Earth eggs energy feed feet female fish giant gills grow habitats hot vents hunt hunters hydrothermal vents invertebrates jellyfish kelp krill land layer light live male mangrove marine Marine snow metres mid-ocean ridges migration miles million molluscs mouth move mussels nest numbers nutrients open ocean organisms oxygen Pacific penguins photic zone photophores photosynthesis phytoplankton plankton plants plate polar polyps predators prey pups rock rocky sand sea birds sea cucumbers sea floor sea ice seabed seagrass seals seaweed sediment shallow sharks shrimps South species sperm squid starfish summer surface survive swim temperate seas temperature tentacles thermocline tide tiny tropical tubeworms tuna twilight zone waves whales winds winter worms zooplankton