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Introduction 



IMPORTANCE OF THE OCEAN TO SOCIETY 



The ocean dominates Earth's surface and greatly affects our 

 daily lives. It regulates Earth's climate, plays a critical role in the 

 hydrologicai cycle, sustains a large portion of Earth's biodiversity, 

 supplies food and mineral resources, constitutes an important medium 

 of national defense, provides an inexpensive means of transporta- 

 tion, is the final destination of many waste products, is a major 

 location of human recreation, and inspires our aesthetic nature. 



Today's sense of urgency about ocean studies is precipitated 

 by human impacts on oceanic systems and the need for a better 

 understanding of the ocean's role in controlling global chemical, 

 hydrologicai, and climate processes. The nation is faced with 

 pressing marine research problems whose timely solution will re- 

 quire increased cooperation between federal agencies and academic 

 scientists. Many of these problems arise from the need to accom- 

 modate multiple uses of the ocean and from the ever-increasing 

 concentration of the U.S. population near its coasts. Oceano- 

 graphic research is important to many of the nation's social con- 

 cerns, including the following: 



• Global Change. The ocean plays a predominant role in 

 regulating both natural and human-induced changes in our planet. 

 The role of ocean circulation and the coupling of the ocean and 



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