Natural resources of the world's oceans. Resources of the world's oceans and their importance


The main resources of the World Ocean are biological, mineral and energy. They were studied by major domestic researchers, such as: Yu.M. Shokalsky. V.Yu. Wiese, N.N. Zubov, P.P. Shirshov, K.K. Markov and others. They showed that the World Ocean has enormous potential as a storehouse of natural resources.

Biological resources

Biological resources refer to animals and plants living in its waters. The biomass of the World Ocean includes 140 thousand species, and its total volume is estimated at 35 billion tons. The biological resources of the World Ocean are diverse. In terms of the scale of use and significance, the leading place among them is occupied by nekton, that is, animals actively swimming in the water column (fish, mollusks, cetaceans, etc.). Mainly fish is harvested, which accounts for 85% of the marine biomass used by humans. Benthos, that is, bottom plants and animals, is not yet used enough: mainly bivalves (scallops, oysters, mussels, etc.), echinoderms (sea urchins), crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, lobsters). Algae are finding increasing use. Millions of people eat them. Medicines, starch, glue are obtained from algae, paper and fabrics are made. Algae is an excellent feed for livestock and a good fertilizer. Every year 85-90 million tons of fish, shellfish, algae and other products are caught. This provides about 20% of humanity's need for animal protein. There are more or less productive areas in the ocean. The most productive ones include: the Norwegian, Bering, Okhotsk and Japanese seas. Mineral resources

The mineral resources of the World Ocean can be divided into those that are found in the water itself and those that are mined from its bottom. The most valuable resource of the World Ocean is water itself, which contains 75 chemical elements. On an industrial scale, sodium, chlorine, magnesium and bromine are extracted from it. When these elements are extracted, some potassium and calcium compounds are obtained as by-products. Desalination of seawater is becoming increasingly important.

The bottom of the World Ocean is rich in mineral resources. They include: ore deposits under the bottom surface (coal, iron ore), liquid and soluble minerals (oil, gas, sulfur, potash), mineral deposits on the bottom surface (manganese and phosphorite nodules, heavy metal ores, diamond placers ). In 1990, the share of “sea” oil amounted to about 30% of global production. Extraction of sand, shell rock, and gravel from the ocean floor is widespread.

Energetic resources

The energy resources of the World Ocean are contained in its waters (tidal energy, the total power of which is estimated from 1 to 6 billion kWh), in their movement (wave energy) and temperature conditions. In our country, the potential reserves of tidal energy are especially large on the coasts of the White, Barents and Okhotsk seas. Their total energy is estimated at 200-300 billion kWh, which exceeds the energy generated today by the country's hydroelectric power plants. The waters of the World Ocean have huge reserves of deuterium - fuel for future thermonuclear power plants.

Rational use

Biological and mineral resources are exhaustible. Their uncontrolled use has endangered the existence of marine mammals and led to a significant reduction in the number of fish.

Ocean waters are rapidly becoming polluted. A large amount of “dirt” is carried into the ocean from land by rivers and sewage. More than 30% of the ocean surface is covered with an oil film that is destructive for plankton. The destruction of plankton, that is, protozoa and crustaceans passively floating in water, led to a reduction in the food supply for nekton and reduced its quantity, and, consequently, reduced fish production. Radioactive waste enters the World Ocean, which also pollutes its waters.

These resources must be considered comprehensively as they include:

Biological resources of the World Ocean;

Mineral resources of the seabed;

Energy resources of the world's oceans;

Sea water resources.

Biological resources of the World Ocean – these are plants (algae) and animals (fish, mammals, crustaceans, mollusks). The total volume of biomass in the World Ocean is 35 billion tons, of which 0.5 billion tons are fish alone. Fish makes up about 90% of commercial fish caught in the ocean. Thanks to fish, mollusks and crustaceans, humanity provides itself with 20% of animal proteins. Ocean biomass is also used to produce high-calorie feed meal for livestock.

More than 90% of the world's catch of fish and non-fish species comes from the shelf zone. The largest part of the world's catch is caught in the waters of temperate and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Of the oceans, the Pacific Ocean produces the largest catch. Of the seas of the World Ocean, the most productive are the Norwegian, Bering, Okhotsk, and Japanese.

In recent years, the cultivation of certain species of organisms on artificially created marine plantations has become increasingly widespread throughout the world. These fisheries are called mariculture. Its development takes place in Japan and China (pearl oysters), the USA (oysters and mussels), France and Australia (oysters), and the Mediterranean countries of Europe (mussels). In Russia, in the seas of the Far East, seaweed (kelp) and scallops are grown.

The state of aquatic biological resources and their effective management are becoming increasingly important both for providing the population with high-quality food products and for supplying raw materials to many industries and agriculture (in particular, poultry farming). Available information indicates increasing pressure on the world's oceans. At the same time, due to severe pollution, the biological productivity of the World Ocean sharply decreased. In 198... gg. Leading scientists predicted that by 2025, world fisheries production would reach 230–250 million tons, including 60–70 million tons from aquaculture. In the 1990s. the situation has changed: forecasts of marine catches for 2025 have decreased to 125-130 million tons, while forecasts for the volume of fish production through aquaculture have increased to 80 - 90 million tons. At the same time, it is considered obvious that the growth rate of the Earth's population will exceed the growth rate fish products. While noting the need to feed present and future generations, the significant contribution of fisheries to the income, well-being and food security of all nations must be recognized and its particular importance for some low-income and food-deficit countries. Realizing the responsibility of the living population for the conservation of biological resources for future generations, in December 1995 in Japan, 95 states, including Russia, adopted the Kyoto Declaration and Action Plan on the Sustainable Contribution of Fisheries to Food Security. It was proposed that policies, strategies and resource use for sustainable development of the fisheries sector should be based on the following fundamental principles:

Conservation of ecological systems;

Use of reliable scientific data;

Increasing socio-economic well-being;

Equity in the distribution of resources within and between generations.

The Russian Federation, along with other countries, has committed itself to be guided by the following specific principles in the development of the national fisheries strategy:

Recognize and appreciate the important role that marine, inland fisheries and aquaculture play in world food security through both food supply and economic well-being;

Effectively implement the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the UN Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, the Agreement on Promotion of International Measures for the Conservation and Management of Fishing Vessels on the High Seas and the FAO Code of Responsible Fisheries, and harmonize their national legislation with these documents;

Development and strengthening of scientific research as a fundamental basis for sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture to ensure food security, as well as providing scientific and technical assistance and support to countries with limited research capabilities;

Assessing the productivity of stocks in waters under national jurisdiction, both inland and marine, bringing fishing capacity in those waters to a level comparable to the long-term productivity of the stocks, and taking timely appropriate measures to restore overfished stocks to a sustainable state, and cooperating in accordance with with international law to take similar measures for stocks found on the high seas;

Conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components in the aquatic environment and, in particular, the prevention of practices leading to irreversible changes, such as the destruction of species by genetic erosion or large-scale destruction of habitats;

Promoting the development of mariculture and aquaculture in coastal marine and inland waters by establishing appropriate legal mechanisms, coordinating the use of land and water with other activities, using the best and most suitable genetic material in accordance with the requirements for the conservation and sustainable use of the external environment and the conservation of biological diversity, application of social and environmental impact assessments.

Mineral resources of the World Ocean - These are solid, liquid and gaseous minerals. There are resources of the shelf zone and resources of the deep seabed.

First place among shelf zone resources belongs to oil and gas. The main oil production areas are the Persian, Mexican, and Guinea Gulfs, the coast of Venezuela, and the North Sea. There are offshore oil and gas bearing areas in the Bering and Okhotsk Seas. The total number of oil and gas basins explored in the sedimentary strata of the ocean shelf exceeds 30. Most of them are continuations of land basins. Total oil reserves on the shelf are estimated at 120–150 billion tons.

Among the solid minerals of the shelf zone, three groups can be distinguished:

      primary deposits of ores of iron, copper, nickel, tin, mercury, etc.;

      coastal-marine placers;

      phosphorite deposits in deeper parts of the shelf and on the continental slope.

Primary deposits Metal ores are mined using mines laid from the shore or from islands. Sometimes such workings go under the seabed at a distance of 10-20 km from the coast. Iron ore (off the coast of Kyushu, in Hudson Bay), coal (Japan, Great Britain), and sulfur (USA) are mined from underwater subsoil.

IN coastal-marine placers contains zirconium, gold, platinum, diamonds. Examples of such developments include diamond mining - off the coast of Namibia; zirconium and gold - off the coast of the USA; amber - on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

Phosphorite deposits have been explored primarily in the Pacific Ocean, but so far their industrial development has not been carried out anywhere.

The main wealth deep sea ocean floor – ferromanganese nodules. It has been established that nodules occur in the upper film of deep-sea sediments at a depth of 1 to 3 km, and at a depth of more than 4 km they often form a continuous layer. The total reserves of nodules amount to trillions of tons. In addition to iron and manganese, they contain nickel, cobalt, copper, titanium, molybdenum and other elements (more than 20). The largest number of nodules were found in the central and eastern parts of the Pacific Ocean. The USA, Japan and Germany have already developed technologies for extracting nodules from the ocean floor.

In addition to iron-manganese nodules, iron-manganese crusts are also found on the ocean floor, covering rocks in the areas of mid-ocean ridges at a depth of 1 - 3 km. They contain more manganese than nodules.

Energetic resources – fundamentally accessible mechanical and thermal energy of the World Ocean, of which it is mainly used tidal energy. There are tidal power stations in France at the mouth of the Rane River, in Russia the Kislogubskaya TPP on the Kola Peninsula. Projects for use are being developed and partially implemented energy of waves and currents. The largest tidal energy resources are found in France, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Argentina, the USA, and Russia. The tide height in these countries reaches 10-15 m.

Sea water is also a resource of the World Ocean. It contains about 75 chemical elements. About... /... are extracted from sea waters. of table salt mined in the world, 60% magnesium, 90% bromine and potassium. Sea waters in a number of countries are used for industrial desalination. The largest producers of fresh water are Kuwait, USA, Japan.

With the intensive use of the resources of the World Ocean, its pollution occurs as a result of the discharge of industrial, agricultural, household and other waste, shipping, and mining into rivers and seas. A particular threat is posed by oil pollution and the burial of toxic substances and radioactive waste in the deep ocean. The problems of the World Ocean are the problems of the future of human civilization. They require concerted international measures to coordinate the use of its resources and prevent further pollution.

It is a continuous space that surrounds the continents and their adjacent islands. The waters of the entire world's oceans have the same salt composition. The resources of the world's oceans play a big role for humanity. Their quantity and diversity can provide people with everything necessary for life. More rational use of useful reserves will solve many problems that are associated with a lack of raw materials and food products.

The resources of the world's oceans are divided into energy, animal, mineral and plant resources. Let's take a closer look at each of these categories.

Biological resources, in turn, are divided into animal and plant organisms that live in the vast waters of the world's oceans. The variety of biological resources in this part of the planet is 140 thousand species. This demonstrates the diversity and richness of the world's oceans. The most sought-after biological resources are animals that live in large numbers in the water column. Plants and animals, which are called benthic organisms, are not used as actively. Algae harvesting occurs on a larger scale. They are used in industry to produce paper, glue, fabric, medicines and much more. Biological resources make up about 20 percent of the protein that humans consume.

All of the world's oceans are also very diverse. Naturally, the main resource is water. In addition to its desalination, which is especially important for humanity, about 75 chemical elements are extracted. Bromine, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, as well as some by-products, which are also necessary, are extracted from water.

All ocean waters are in constant motion. They influence the climate and what happens in nature. It is the movement of water that is the source of energy resources. This includes wave energy, tidal power, which reaches 6 billion kW per hour, and temperature conditions. Ocean energy in our country exceeds the potential of hydroelectric power plants. The world's oceans are also a source of fuel, which will later be used at thermonuclear stations.

The resources of the world's oceans are used by humans in various fields of activity. It has been around as a food source for quite some time. Since ancient times, ocean waters have served as a place for fish and other organisms. But with the development of the mining, chemical industries, energy and other fields of science, the role of the world's ocean resources has become more significant.

The oceans are not only a sphere of the world economy, but also an area of ​​political life. The world is experiencing a division and conquest of the spheres of influence of this part of the planet. At the same time, the resources of the world's oceans and their direct production are the main object of these relations.

The world ocean is the concentration of all aspects of human life. Therefore, rational use of its resources is necessary. Some of their varieties are capable of self-reproduction, but this requires time and careful treatment on the part of people. Only in this case is it possible to count on constant replenishment of supplies and, through this, solutions to many issues that face everyone in the world.

RESOURCES OF THE WORLD OCEAN

The ocean is a huge storehouse of natural resources, which in their potential are quite comparable to the resources of the earth's land.

This is, first of all, sea water itself, the reserves of which are truly colossal and amount to 1370 million km 3, or 96.5% of the total volume of the hydrosphere. In addition, sea water is a kind of “living ore” containing 75 chemical elements. Even the ancient Egyptians and Chinese learned to extract salt from it, which they still obtain in large quantities. Salt mines on the Chinese coast have existed for more than 5 thousand years. On a coastline 8 thousand km long, they occupy over 400 thousand hectares, and annual salt production reaches 20 million tons.

Sea water is also an important source of magnesium, bromine, iodine and other chemical elements.

These are also the mineral resources of the ocean floor. Among the resources of the continental shelf, oil and natural gas are the most important; According to most estimates, they account for at least 1/3 of the world's reserves. Solid fossils of the shelf - bedrock and alluvial - are mined using inclined mines and dredges (of course, excluding such a truly “gold mine” as the treasures of sunken ships, which are increasingly becoming the prey of modern “knights of profit”). And the main wealth of the deep-sea bed of the Ocean is iron-manganese nodules. These nodules (mineral formations of a round shape and brown color) are found in all oceans, forming a real “pavement” at the bottom. Their total reserves are estimated at 2-3 trillion. tons, and those available for extraction are 250-300 billion tons. The largest areas of nodules occupy the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The possibilities of their industrial development are currently being studied.

The total power of tides on our planet is estimated by scientists from 1 to 6 billion kW, and even the first of these figures far exceeds the energy of all the rivers of the globe. It has been established that there are possibilities for the construction of large tidal power plants in 25-30 places. The largest tidal energy resources are in Russia, France, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Argentina, and the USA. They have coastal areas where the tide reaches 10-15 m or more.

Finally, these are the biological resources of the World Ocean - animals (fish, mammals, mollusks, crustaceans) and plants living in its waters. The biomass of the Ocean has 140 thousand species, and its total volume is estimated at 35 billion tons. But the main part of it is phytoplankton and zoobenthos, while nekton (fish, mammals, squid, shrimp, etc.) is only a little over 1 billion tons

In the World Ocean, as on land, there are more and less productive water areas. On this basis, they are divided into very highly productive, medium productive, low productive and the most low productive. Among the most productive water areas of the World Ocean, which V.I. Vernadsky named "condensations of life", include primarily the Norwegian, Northern, Barents, Okhotsk, and Japanese seas located in more northern latitudes, as well as the open northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

However, most commercial fish and animals in the World Ocean also need protection.

Tasks and tests on the topic "Resources of the World Ocean"

  • World Ocean - General characteristics of the nature of the Earth, grade 7

    Lessons: 5 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1

  • Oceans. Generalization of knowledge - Oceans 7th grade

    Lessons: 1 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1

  • Relief of the ocean floor - Lithosphere - the rocky shell of the Earth, grade 5

    Lessons: 5 Assignments: 8 Tests: 1

  • Indian Ocean - Oceans 7th grade

    Lessons: 4 Assignments: 10 Tests: 1

  • Atlantic Ocean - Oceans 7th grade

    Lessons: 4 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1

Leading ideas: The geographical environment is a necessary condition for the life of society, the development and distribution of the population and economy, while recently the influence of the resource factor on the level of economic development of the country has been decreasing, but the importance of the rational use of natural resources and the environmental factor has been increasing.

Basic concepts: geographical (environmental) environment, ore and non-metallic minerals, ore belts, mineral basins; structure of the world land fund, southern and northern forest belts, forest cover; hydropower potential; shelf, alternative energy sources; resource availability, natural resource potential (NRP), territorial combination of natural resources (TCNR), areas of new development, secondary resources; environmental pollution, environmental policy.

Skills and abilities: be able to characterize the natural resources of the country (region) according to plan; use various methods of economic assessment of natural resources; characterize the natural prerequisites for the development of industry and agriculture of the country (region) according to the plan; give a brief description of the location of the main types of natural resources, identify countries as “leaders” and “outsiders” in terms of endowment with one or another type of natural resources; give examples of countries that do not have rich natural resources, but have achieved a high level of economic development and vice versa; give examples of rational and irrational use of resources.

The world's oceans are a huge amount of water and the earth's crust underneath; its area significantly exceeds the land area. Such a territory has a huge supply of resources that are actively used by humans. What resources is the ocean rich in and how do they help humans?

Water

The volume of the World Ocean is 1370 million square meters. km. This is 96% of the entire hydrosphere of the Earth. Despite the fact that sea water is not suitable for drinking, it is used in production and on the farm. In addition, desalination plants have been developed that can turn sea water into drinking water. In the Arctic Ocean, in addition to sea water, there is a huge supply of fresh water in the form of glaciers.

Rice. 1. The most important resource of the World Ocean is water

Mineral

The ocean water itself and the earth's crust beneath it are rich in all kinds of minerals. The following species are found in the water:

  • magnesium;
  • potassium;
  • bromine;

In total, ocean water contains about 75 chemical elements. Oil and natural gas are extracted from the shelf. In total, 30 oil and gas production basins have been developed in the World Ocean. The largest deposits are located in the Persian Gulf of the Indian Ocean. Iron and manganese ore have been discovered in deep-sea areas. The largest amount of them is now mined in the Pacific Ocean. Stone ore is mined in Japan and the UK, and sulfur is mined in the USA. There are placers of gold and diamonds off the coast of Africa, and amber is mined on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

Rice. 2. There are amber deposits off the coast of the Baltic Sea

There is a huge amount of uranium and deuterium in the waters of the World Ocean. Active development of ways to isolate these elements from water is underway, as uranium reserves on land are disappearing.

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Mineral resources are non-renewable. The constant development of deposits and the search for new ones leads to significant environmental disturbances in the World Ocean system.

Energy

The ability of water to ebb and flow provides energy resources. With the help of water energy, thermal and mechanical energy is generated. The following countries have the greatest potential:

  • Australia;
  • Canada;
  • England;
  • France;
  • Argentina;
  • Russia.

The height of the tides here can reach 15 meters, which means the power of water energy is much greater.

Rice. 3. Tidal energy powers hydroelectric power plants.

Biological

The biological resources of the World Ocean include plants and animals living in its waters. They are quite diverse - about 140 thousand species of biological objects are found here. The volume of biomass in the World Ocean is 35 billion tons.

The most common occupation is fishing. With the help of fish and seafood, humanity provides itself with protein, fatty acids, and microelements. Microscopic organisms are used to make animal feed. Algae are used in various types of production - chemical, food, pharmaceutical.

The largest fish catch is observed in the shelf zone of the oceans. The richest in this regard is the Pacific Ocean, as it is the largest and most climatically favorable. In second place is the Atlantic Ocean. The natural resources of the Pacific Ocean are the most vulnerable to destruction. There are many communication routes passing through here, as a result of which the ocean waters become heavily polluted.

Today, there are plantations in the seas where certain organisms are bred. Pearl oysters are bred in Japan, and mussels are bred in European countries. This type of fishing is called mariculture.

Recreational

The resources of the World Ocean are also recreational. These include those areas of the ocean that are used for recreation, entertainment, and scientific excursions. It is impossible to fully assess all the recreational opportunities of the World Ocean. Almost all ocean coasts are used for recreation, with the exception of the Arctic.4.6. Total ratings received: 266.



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