The organic world of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans has much in common (Fig. 37). Life in the Atlantic Ocean is also distributed zonally and is concentrated mainly along the coasts of continents and in surface waters.

The Atlantic Ocean is poorer than the Pacific Ocean biological resources. This is due to his relative youth. But the ocean still provides 20% of the world's fish and seafood catch. This is first of all herring, cod, sea ​​bass, hake, tuna.

In temperate and polar latitudes there are many whales, in particular sperm whales and killer whales. Characteristic sea crayfish - lobster, lobsters.

Economic development of the ocean is also associated with mineral resources(Fig. 38). A significant part of them is mined on the shelf. In the North Sea alone, more than 100 oil and gas fields have been discovered, hundreds of boreholes have been constructed, and oil and gas pipelines have been laid along the bottom. More than 3,000 special platforms from which oil and gas are produced operate on the shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. Coal is mined in the coastal waters of Canada and Great Britain, and diamonds are mined off the southwestern coast of Africa. Table salt has long been extracted from sea water.

Recently, huge reserves of oil and natural gas have been discovered not only on the shelf, but also at considerable depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal zones of Africa, in particular, turned out to be rich in fuel resources. Other areas of the Atlantic floor are also extremely rich in oil and gas - off the northeastern coast of North America, not far from the eastern coast of South America.

The Atlantic Ocean is crossed in different directions by important sea ​​routes. It is no coincidence that the largest ports in the world are located here, among them the Ukrainian one - Odessa. Material from the site http://worldofschool.ru

Active human economic activity in the Atlantic Ocean has caused significant pollution his water. It is especially noticeable in some seas of the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, the Mediterranean Sea is often called a “sewage” because industrial waste is dumped here. A large amount of pollutants also comes with river runoff. In addition, about hundreds of thousands of tons of oil and petroleum products enter its waters every year as a result of accidents and other reasons.

Oceanological conditions over large areas of the Atlantic Ocean are favorable for the development of life, therefore it is the most productive of all the oceans (260 kg/km2). Until 1958, it was a leader in the production of fish and non-fish products. However, many years of intensive fishing had a negative impact on the raw material base, which led to a slowdown in the growth of catches. At the same time, a sharp increase in the Peruvian anchovy catch began, and the Atlantic Ocean lost primacy in catches to the Pacific. In 2004, the Atlantic Ocean accounted for 43% of the world's catch. The volume of production of fish and non-fish objects varies by year and by area of ​​production.

Mining and fishing

The majority of the catch comes from the Northeast Atlantic. This region is followed by the North-West, Central-East and South-East regions; The North Atlantic has been and continues to be the main fishing area, although in recent years the role of its central and southern zones has noticeably increased. In the ocean as a whole, catches in 2006 exceeded the annual average for 2001–2005. In 2009, production was lower than the 2006 catch by 1,985 thousand tons. Against the background of this general decrease in catches in two regions of the Atlantic, in the North-West and North-East, production decreased by 2198 thousand tons. Consequently, the main catch losses occurred in the North Atlantic.

Analysis of fisheries (including non-fish objects) in the Atlantic Ocean in recent years has revealed the main reasons for changes in catches in different fishing areas.

In the Northwestern region of the ocean, production has decreased due to strict regulation of fishing within the 200-mile zones of the United States and Canada. At the same time, these states began to pursue a discriminatory policy here against socialist countries, sharply limiting their fishing quotas, although they themselves do not fully use the raw material base of the region.

The increase in catches in the South-West Atlantic is associated with an increase in catches in South American countries.

In the South-East Atlantic, the total catch of African countries has decreased, but at the same time, compared to 2006, the catches of almost all states conducting expeditionary fishing here, and multinational corporations, the nationality of which is difficult to determine, have increased.

In the Antarctic part of the Atlantic Ocean in 2009, the total production volume reached 452 thousand tons, of which 106.8 thousand tons were crustaceans.

The data presented indicate that in modern conditions, the extraction of biological resources in the Atlantic Ocean has largely become determined by legal and political factors.

South Atlantic Ocean. This includes areas adjacent to the east coast of South America and the southwest coast of Africa, as well as the Antarctic regions, with a total area

more than 40 million km 2 , of which only about 3 million km 2 (7.5%)

occupied by depths of less than 1000 m, and the largest shallow water plateau (about 1.4 million km 2) called the Patagonian-Falkland shelf, adjacent to the Atlantic coast of Uruguay and Argentina. The large latitudinal extent, which includes both warm subtropical and cold Antarctic zones, leaves its mark on the commercial fauna, represented here by both warm water (tuna, marlin, swordfish, scienes, sardines, etc.) and cold water (blue whiting, merluea, notothenia, silverfish, toothfish, etc.) inhabitants. The intensity of fishing here is quite high only on the southwestern and southern coasts of Africa, where in some years (1968-1970) sardines (up to 1.7 million tons), anchovies (0.4-0.6 million tons) and hake (0.5-0.7 million tons), while on the Patagonian shelf, the raw materials of which make it possible to produce at least 5-6 million tons of fish, the fishery is extremely poorly developed (only about 1.0 million tons). The total catch within the South Atlantic in recent years alone has reached 4 million tons, while the possible catch exceeds 10 million tons.

The Antarctic regions are of significant importance for fishing, where whales, seals, some fish, squid live in commercial quantities, and the resource of the abundant planktonic crustacean - Arctic krill - has especially great potential commercial importance.

Summarizing the current assessment of the used biological resources in the Atlantic Ocean and possible prospects for the further development of fisheries, it should be considered that in this basin the catch of traditional fisheries by all countries can be increased from 23 - 25 to 35 million tons

The Soviet Union produced 3.5 million tons in the Atlantic Ocean basin, i.e. a significant portion (39%) of its marine fish catches, and in recent years Russia has been eyeing this vast region

as the most important for the implementation of sea and ocean fishing,

Lecture No. 9 Topic: "Raw materials of the Pacific Ocean."

Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean basin makes up half

(176.7 million km 2 - 49.8%) of the entire water area of ​​the World Ocean. The predominant part of its surface (80.8%) is located above depths from

3000 to 6000 m and only 8.7% (15.5 million km 2) is occupied by relatively shallow depths (less than 1000 m) and in this respect it is significantly inferior to the Atlantic, where about 15% is in shallow areas.

The greatest ruggedness of the coastline and the largest sections of the shelf are characteristic of the northern and western parts of the ocean (4.5 million km 2), where the Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow, East and South China seas, etc. are located, as well as areas adjacent to the Indonesian archipelago. In addition, the shelf zones of Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania are quite extensive (more than 2 million km 2). Along the Pacific coast of North and esp. but the South American shelf is poorly developed. The oceanological regime of the Pacific Ocean is significantly influenced by a system of currents that creates several large-scale frontal zones and gyres in the northern and southern parts of the ocean.

Unlike the Atlantic, the northern part of the Pacific is connected to the Arctic Ocean basin by the narrow and shallow Bering Strait, and Pacific waters cannot warm the seas of the corresponding sector of the Arctic (East Siberian, Chukotka, etc.), which are characterized as low-productive. Here, only cod (polar cod) can be considered as a relatively abundant commercial fish.

The Pacific Ocean basin provides more than 53 million tons (6%) of global marine production. However, the relatively weak development of shallow waters leads to the fact that the catches here are sharply dominated by pelagic (89^) rather than bottom-dwelling objects, while in the Atlantic Ocean basin the share of the latter is much higher. Its modern fish productivity (300 kg/km) exceeded that of the Atlantic Ocean (250 kg/km) and many times

higher than the Indian one (60 kg/km), and there are still opportunities for further development of fishing for traditional objects within its limits.

Oil and natural gas

The most important mineral resources of the Atlantic Ocean include oil and natural gas. Oil and gas-bearing shelves off the coast of North America include the shelves of the Labrador Sea, as well as the bays of Georges Bank, Nova Scotia and St. Lawrence.

On the eastern shelf of Canada, oil reserves amount to 2.5 billion tons, natural gas reserves - 3.3 trillion. cube m; on the continental slope and eastern shelf of the United States - up to 0.54 billion tons of oil and gas - 0.39 trillion. cube m. More than 280 deposits have been identified on the southern shelf of the United States, and more than 20 deposits off the coast of Mexico. More than 60% of all Venezuela's oil is produced in the Maracaibo Lagoon. The fields near the island of Trinidad in the Gulf of Paria are actively exploited.

Oil and gas bearing areas have been discovered on the shelves of the Gulf of Sao Jorge (Argentina) and the Gulf of Toduz-os-Santos (Brazil). The total reserves of the Caribbean Sea shelves are up to 13 billion tons of oil and 8.5 trillion. cube m of natural gas. Oil fields have been discovered in the Irish and North (114 fields) seas, the Gulf of Guinea (on the Nigerian shelf - 50, off Gabon - 37, off Congo - 3, etc.). On the Mediterranean shelf, the forecast oil reserves are 110-120 billion tons. There are deposits in the Adriatic, Aegean, Ionian seas, off the coasts of Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, etc.

Oil and gas basins

The largest oil and gas basins in the Atlantic Ocean include:

1. Gulf of Mexico oil and gas basin;
2. Maracaiba oil and gas basin.

The oil and gas basin of the Gulf of Mexico is located in the waters of the Gulf and adjacent territories of Mexico, the USA, Cuba, Belize, and Guatemala. The total area of ​​the oil and gas basin is about 2.5 million square meters. km. The initial industrial reserves of oil and condensate (data for 1985) are 18.3 billion tons and natural gas - 14.6 trillion. cube m.

The first deposits on the mainland part of the basin were discovered in 1896 (USA), and on the shelf - in 1938 (USA). In the American part of the basin, the largest deposits were discovered in the 30s. (Agua Dals-Stratton, East Texas, Carthage, Caillou Island, Old Ocean), and in the Mexican part - in the 70s. (Iris-Giraldas, Bermudez, Cantarel).

Note 1

In total, more than 5 thousand oil and 4 thousand gas and gas condensate fields have been discovered in the oil and gas basin of the Gulf of Mexico. 95% of deposits are in the USA.

Gulf of Mexico oil and gas basin confined to the southern regions of the Atlantic Epihercynian platform, represented by the Gulf of Mexico basin and the Gulf Coast. The basin is formed by sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic period with a maximum thickness of 15 km. The entire section of the sedimentary cover is associated with oil and gas content.

The furthest offshore deposit was identified at a distance of 240 km from the coast of Louisiana. Individual exploration wells are located at a distance of 260 km at a depth of 600 m. The oil in the outer zone is low-sulfur and light. Sulfur content increases in deposits that are associated with caprocks of salt domes. In the interior regions of the basin, oils are of medium density, methane-naphthenic composition and high-sulfur.

Natural gases contain a small amount of heavy homologues of methane and a lot of gas condensate. The main centers of natural gas production are Texas, Louisiana, Bay of Campeche, and the Reforma region.

On the territory of the Mexican oil and gas basin there is an extensive network of oil and gas pipelines, 75 oil refineries and 400 gas processing plants.

Maracaiba oil and gas basin is located in the northeast of Colombia, northwest of Venezuela, occupies the Gulf of Venezuela and the adjacent part of the landmass, Lake Maracaibo. The pool area is 86 thousand square meters. km, including about 30 thousand sq. km. water areas. The basin is surrounded by individual spurs of the Andes mountain system. The development of oil fields began in 1917. In total, 79 oil fields and 4 gas fields were discovered.

Initial oil reserves were 6.6 billion tons, natural gas - 1.7 trillion. cube m., on the shelf 5 billion tons and 1.2 trillion. cube m. respectively.

The Bolivar coastal-offshore oil and gas accumulation zone, stretching over 3.5 thousand square meters, stands out separately. km. Bolivar unites 8 deposits. The largest oil field is Lama, containing 584 million tons. Potential oil resources are estimated at 9.3 billion tons, natural gas - 1.9 trillion. cube m.

The Maracaiba oil and gas basin is formed mainly by terrigenous deposits of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The maximum thickness is 11 km. The reservoirs are sandstones and fractured limestones. A characteristic feature of the basin is its predominant oil content. Gas reserves represent 90% dissolved gas from oil fields. Oils are mainly viscous and heavy. Lighter oils belong to the Cretaceous deposits. The dissolved gas of the Bolivar zone contains heavy homologues of methane and fatty.

The main oil and gas processing centers are located in Punta Cardon and Amuay.

Minerals

The following minerals are mined on continental shelves:

• sulfur (Gulf of Mexico);
• iron ore (near the island of Newfoundland);
• diamonds (continental shelf of South America);
• phosphate sands and phosphorite formations (near Liberia, Morocco, Blake Plateau);
• hard coal (Canada, UK).

Coastal areas are rich in zirconium, titanium, monazite, phosphorites, and amber. The largest deposits are located off the coast of the Florida Peninsula and near Brazil. These minerals were found in smaller quantities off the coast of Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, Denmark, and Portugal.

Ferrous and tin-bearing sands are common on the Atlantic coast of Europe and North America, and deposits of gold, platinum and diamonds are found off the coast of southwestern Africa (Namibia, Angola, South Africa).

Note 2

The extraction of phosphorites and phosphate sand is unprofitable due to their lower quality compared to terrestrial fossils.

In the northwestern regions of the ocean, on the Blake Plateau and in the North American Basin, there are extensive fields of ferromanganese nodules. Their total reserves are estimated at 45 billion tons. They contain a high concentration of non-ferrous metals.

Barite, pebbles, sand, and limestone are mined from the seabed. Atlantic countries extract magnesium, table salt, bromine, and magnesium from sea water (Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Canada).

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 the circulation of air masses under the influence of four main atmospheric centers: the 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 Arctic Ocean, the Antarctic seas and the Mediterranean Sea. Tropical latitudes are characterized by tempera. - 20 °C. To the north and south of the tropics there are subtropical zones with more noticeable seasonal zones (from 10 °C in winter to 20 °C in summer). Tropical hurricanes are a frequent occurrence in the subtropical zone. In temperate latitudes, the average temperature of the warmest month is between 10-15 °C, and the coldest month 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.

There are several tiers in the Atlantic Ocean 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.

The highest tide values ​​are confined to the Atlantic Ocean, which are observed 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 is recorded in the Bay of Fundy, on the east coast of Canada, where the maximum tide reaches 15.6-18 m.

Salinity. The highest salinity of surface waters in the open ocean is observed in the subtropical zone (up to 37.25 ‰), and the maximum in the Mediterranean Sea is 39 ‰. In the equatorial zone, where the maximum amount of precipitation is recorded, 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 reaches 40°N in July.

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; the maximum number of them 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 produces 2/5 of the world's catch, and its share has been decreasing over the years. In subantarctic and Antarctic waters, notothenia, blue 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.