Ocean Life and Resources

A rich variety of resources, both organic and inorganic, exists below the surface of the sea. Here, a young turtle makes its way through a living labyrinth built by coral and other organisms on the rocky ocean floor.

Estimates indicate that the ocean is capable of producing as much as 200 million metric tons of harvestable organic matter and may contain more than 10 billion tons of gold. The only difficulty in tapping these resources is the complex interrelationship between the chemistry, geology, and physics of the sea.

It is nearly impossible to alter one without impacting the others.