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associated with my Ocean Science Quest Natural Enquirer tabloid newspapers, I
want you to agree not to violate my copyrights. Please do not make any copies
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linked below and enjoy my tongue-in-cheek provocative stories of natural
science. Please be patient – the graphic files are large and downloads may take
several minutes after the screen says done. Also note that some illustrations
are currently absent due to copyright limitations.
The sea otter struggles to survive in a chilly habitat that
is not naturally suitable for warm-blooded animals, particularly small, furry
ones with little body fat. The sea otter is at the top of a food web based on
the absorption of sunlight.
The kelp forest is the dominant energy collector in an
ecosystem that is heavily influenced by the sea otter. The limited range of the
kelp forest is the result of compromises inherent in its adaptations to a
subtidal ecological niche.
Like the sea otter and the kelp forest, the liquid ocean
itself is an open system that survives only through the absorption of solar
energy that offsets its continuous heat loss.
The rhythm of life and the survival of liquid oceans depend
on seasonal changes of astronomical origin.
The diversity, abundance, and distribution of animals
depend on interactions of the Sun and the land with the oceans.
The distribution of life in the extreme environment of a
tide pool depends on solar, lunar, and global forces that influence tides.
The absorption and scattering of sunlight by the
atmosphere, oceans, and continents determine the global climate that is
essential to liquid oceans and to life on Earth.
Readers are invited to read, observe, analyze, and discuss
the themes of global natural science by visiting the library, exploring nature,
doing science projects, and taking courses, workshops, and seminars.