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INTRODUCTION 15 



the atmosphere are basic to understanding Earth's changing cli- 

 mate. Regional events such as El Nino and ocean margin and 

 equatorial upwelling influence climate on both seasonal and longer 

 time scales. The world's population is now large enough to alter 

 the chemical composition of the ocean and atmosphere and to 

 impact the biological composition of Earth. 



• Biodiversity. The oceans comprise a large portion of Earth's 

 biosphere and support a vast diversity of flora and fauna that are 

 critical to Earth's biogeochemical cycles and serve as an impor- 

 tant source of food and pharmaceuticals. In addition to the excit- 

 ing discoveries of previously unknown biota near hydrothermal 

 vents, many deep-ocean organisms have evolved under relatively 

 stable conditions. Their unique physiologies and biochemistries 

 have not yet been explored adequately, and methods for sampling 

 the more fragile of these species have been developed only in the 

 past decade. Human influence on marine biota has increased dra- 

 matically, threatening the stability of coastal ecosystems. Some 

 species have been overharvested; others have been transported 

 inadvertently to areas where they are not indigenous, sometimes 

 resulting in deleterious effects on native species. Still other spe- 

 cies are being cultivated commercially, and aquaculture facilities 

 along coastlines are becoming commonplace in some countries. 

 A better understanding of the ecology of marine organisms is ur- 

 gently needed to prevent irreversible damage to this living re- 

 source. 



• Environmental Quality. Waste disposed in coastal areas has 

 reached the open ocean, with broad ramifications for living re- 

 sources. This problem is compounded because many marine spe- 

 cies harvested for commercial and recreational purposes spend a 

 portion of their lives in coastal waters and estuaries. Thus, local 

 pollution can have far-reaching effects. 



• Economic Competitiveness. Economic prosperity in a glo- 

 bal marketplace depends increasingly on technical and scientific 

 applications. There is concern about the ability of the United 

 States to compete with Europe and Asia. Basic and applied re- 

 search in marine science and engineering is necessary to achieve 

 and maintain a competitive position in a host of fields, including 

 marine biotechnology, aquaculture, hydrocarbon and mineral ex- 

 ploration and production, maritime transportation, fisheries, treatment 

 and disposal of waste, and freshwater extraction. 



• National Security. Unprecedented world political changes 

 are redefining national defense interests and altering research and 

 development priorities. Knowledge of the ocean, especially the 



