OCEANS AND
BODIES OF WATERS
An ocean (from Greek Ωκεανός, Okeanos
(Oceanus)) is a major body of Seawater (salt
water). The Earth's oceans cover approximately
71% of the Earth's surface, 361,000,000 square
kilometres (139,000,000 sq mi), and can be as
deep as of 10,923 metres (6.787 mi). Scientists
estimate that 230,000 marine life forms of all
types are currently known, but the total could be
up to 10 times that number.[1]
The oceans are (from largest to smallest):
Pacific Ocean which separates Asia from the Americas
Atlantic Ocean which separates the Americas from Europe and Africa
Indian Ocean which separates Africa from India and India from Australia
Arctic Ocean which borders the northern continents and encompasses the far
North including the North pole.
The Pacific and Atlantic may be further subdivided by the equator into
northern and southern portions. Smaller regions of the oceans are called seas,
gulfs, bays, straits and other names.
A Southern ocean, surrounding Antarctica and extending to 60°S was defined
in the year 2000.
Geologically, an ocean is an area of oceanic crust covered by water. Oceanic
crust is the thin layer of solidified volcanic basalt that covers the Earth's
mantle. Continental crust is thicker but less dense. From this perspective, the
earth has three oceans: the World Ocean and the Caspian and Black Seas. The
latter two were formed by the collision of Cimmeria with Laurasia. The
Mediterranean Sea is at times a discrete ocean, because tectonic plate
movement has repeatedly broken its connection to the World Ocean through
the Strait of Gibraltar. The Black Sea is connected to the Mediterranean
through the Bosporus, but the Bosporous is a natural canal cut through
continental rock some 7,000 years ago, rather than a piece of oceanic sea floor
like the Strait of Gibraltar.
Despite their names, smaller landlocked bodies of saltwater that are not
connected with the World Ocean, such as the Aral Sea are actually salt lakes.
The ocean has a significant effect on the biosphere. Oceanic
Evaporation, as a phase of the water cycle, is the source of
most rainfall, and ocean temperatures determine climate and
wind patterns that affect life on land. The border between
land and ocean itself provides critical habitat for many
species that require both to thrive.
Life within the ocean evolved 3 billion years prior to life on
land. Both the depth and distance from shore strongly
influence the amount and kinds of plants and animals that live
there
PLANTS NEAR OCEAN
It is a small evergreen
tree growing to 10-12m
(~32 ft) tall, with a short,
often irregularly shaped
trunk. The leaves are
spirally arranged, leathery
textured, elliptic to
obovate, 4 to 22 cm long
and 2 to 15 cm broad,
with a smooth margin. The
flowers are produced in a
panicle or corymb up to
26 cm long, each flower
small, pale green at first
then turning reddish, with
five slender, acute petals 7
Cashew
to 15 mmtree long.
Anacardium occidentale
Bakong has large, coated bulbs, 5 to
10 centimeters in diameter. The leaves are
crowded at the apex, lanceolate, 90to 150
centimeters long, 12 to 15 centimeters wide.
The scape, arising from the axils of the old
leaves, is erect, stout, and solid, 1 meter high
or less. The spathe subtending the flowers is
about 15 centimeters long. The flowers are
fragrant, 20 to 40, each subtended by a thin,
narrow bracteole. The perianth tube is
greenish, and about 1 centimeter long; and
the lobes are spreading, white, linear,
recurved or revolute, about 8 centimeters
long, and 8 millimeters wide. The filaments
are very slender, free, and purplish above.
The fruits are subglobose, about 5
centimeters in diameter.
Bakong/Spider Lily
Crinum Asticum
H. tiliaceus can be found at
elevations from sea level to 800 metres
(2,600 ft) in areas that receive 900–2,500
millimetres (35–98 in) of annual rainfall.
It is commonly found growing on the
beach, by rivers and in mangrove
swamps. Sea Hibiscus is well adapted to
grow in coastal environment in that it
tolerates salt and waterlogging and can
grow in quartz sand, coral sand, marl,
limestone,and crushed basalt. The
flowers of H. tiliaceous are bright yellow
with a deep red centre upon opening.
Over the course of the day, the flowers
deepen to orange and finally red before
they fall. The branches of the tree often
curve over time.
Malobago
Hibiscus tiliaceus
Pandanus is a genus of
monocots with about 600
known species. Plants vary in
size from small shrubs less than
1 metre (3.3 ft) tall, up to
medium-sized trees 20 metres
(66 ft) tall, typically with a broad
canopy and moderate growth
rate. The trunk is stout, wide-
branching, and ringed with
many leaf scars. They
commonly have many thick
prop roots near the base, which
provide support as the tree
grows top-heavy with leaves,
fruit, and branches. The leaves
are strap-shaped, varying
between species from
30 centimetres (12 in) up to
2 metres (6.6 ft) or more long,
and from 1.5 centimetres
(0.59 in) up to 10 centimetres
(3.9 in) broad.
Cashew tree
Panadus odoratissimus
Size: a wide spread fan
palm, grows up to more
than 15 feet in height.
Trunk: multiple clumps, slim
clustering ending as a
dense bush.
Origin: Indonesia but now
also growing in Suriname.
Leaf: circular shaped, with
squared-off ends.
Flower stalk: from among
the leaf bases.
Fruit: bright red, the size of
a marble (about 0,5 inch
in diameter).
Seed: small and round.
Balatbat
Licuala spinosa
Cyperus alternifolius, syn. Cyperus
racemosus is also known as
umbrella plant or umbrella
sedge. It is a perennial plant
which is native to Madagascar,
Mauricius and The Réunion
island. It can reach up to about
3-6 ft (1-2 m) tall, depending on
the growing conditions.
Leaves - This plant has an
evergreen foliage, composed
of long stems with involucral
bracts at the top. These bracts
look like narrow leaves.
Flowers - The umbelliform
inflorescence is composed of
10-20 small clusters of green-
white tiny flowers. It appears at
the end of the stems, on top of
the leaf-shaped bracts.
Malabawang
Cyperis alternifolius
Cyperus alternifolius, syn. Cyperus
racemosus is also known as
umbrella plant or umbrella
sedge. It is a perennial plant
which is native to Madagascar,
Mauricius and The Réunion
island. It can reach up to about
3-6 ft (1-2 m) tall, depending on
the growing conditions.
Leaves - This plant has an
evergreen foliage, composed
of long stems with involucral
bracts at the top. These bracts
look like narrow leaves.
Flowers - The umbelliform
inflorescence is composed of
10-20 small clusters of green-
white tiny flowers. It appears at
the end of the stems, on top of
the leaf-shaped bracts.
Malabawang
Cyperis alternifolius
