Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science

Emphasizing applications, connections, and relationships to other fields, OCEANOGRAPHY: AN INVITATION TO MARINE SCIENCE, 9e demonstrates the integration of sciences that exists in the study of oceanography and provides a balance of physical and biological oceanography.

OCEANOGRAPHY integrates the theme of science as a process, underscoring the difference between theory and law and exploring the circular nature of the scientific method, in which each advance in theory suggests new questions to consider. "How Do We Know?" boxes in selected chapters describe the science process behind how oceanographers know what they know about the ocean.

Global climate change is incorporated as a theme throughout, linking current and relevant information that affects all of our lives to the topics at hand. Icons in chapter outlines and the text spotlight where global climate change topics are covered and also help students make connections to overall chapter content.

At the end of each chapter, "Questions from Students" answer the most common questions that students have about each topic, making it easier for instructors to anticipate and address student needs and for students to absorb and master the material.

Providing continuity between chapters, each chapter summary includes a complete "Chapter in Perspective" feature that offers a narrative review as well as a brief look ahead.

Interspersed throughout the chapter, answers to "Concept Check" questions, critical thinking questions, and analytical questions with a mathematical emphasis help students review the material and prepare for exams.

Reflecting the latest developments and practices from the field, OCEANOGRAPHY: AN INVITATION TO MARINE SCIENCE, 9e is completely up to date and provides an increased emphasis on the science process. New "How Do We Know?" boxes describe the science process involved with oceanographic inquiry and include such topics as the age of marine organisms, influences on intertidal community structure, where to find new oil resources, and more.

Renamed "Primary Producers", Chapter 14 now includes expanded coverage of photosynthetic and chemosynthetic producers to help students understand the "big picture" in the subsequent chapters on marine biology.

Updated several times a day, the new Global GeoScience Watch provides a one-stop site for classroom discussion and research projects for all things geoscience. Broken into the four key course areas-Geography, Geology, Meteorology, and Oceanography- it provides easy access to an extensive database of trusted academic journals, news outlets, magazines, statistics, primary sources, case studies, podcasts, and more. Global GeoScience Watch is available exclusively for users of this book.

The sections on climate change have been extensively revised to reflect the increasing certainty that warming is occurring as well as evidence that the cause is anthropogenic.