Washes the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Wildlife of the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is 20% of the world's oceans by volume. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, and Australia to the east.
In the zone of 35 ° S passes the conditional border with the Southern Ocean.
Description and characteristics
The waters of the Indian Ocean are famous for their transparency and azure color. The fact is that few freshwater rivers, these "troublemakers," flow into this ocean. Therefore, by the way, the water here is much saltier than in others. The Red Sea, the saltiest sea in the world, is located in the Indian Ocean.
And the ocean is rich in minerals. The region near Sri Lanka has been famous for its pearls, diamonds and emeralds since ancient times. And the Persian Gulf is rich in oil and gas.
Area: 76.170 thousand sq. km
Volume: 282.650 thousand cubic km
Average depth: 3711 m, the greatest depth is the Sunda Trench (7729 m).
Average temperature: 17°C, but in the north the waters warm up to 28°C.
Currents: two cycles are conditionally distinguished - northern and southern. Both move clockwise and are separated by the Equatorial Countercurrent.
Major currents of the Indian Ocean
Warm:
Northern Tradewind- originates in Oceania, crosses the ocean from east to west. Beyond the peninsula, Hindustan is divided into two branches. Part flows to the north and gives rise to the Somali Current. And the second part of the flow goes south, where it merges with the equatorial countercurrent.
South Passatnoe- begins at the islands of Oceania and moves from east to west up to the island of Madagascar.
Madagascar- branches off from the South Tradewind and flows parallel to the Mozambique from north to south, but slightly east of the Madagascar coast. Average temperature: 26°C.
mozambican is another branch of the South Tradewind Current. It washes the coast of Africa and merges with the Agulhas in the south. The average temperature is 25°C, the speed is 2.8 km/h.
Agulhas, or the course of Cape Agulhas- a narrow and fast current that runs along the east coast of Africa from north to south.
Cold:
Somali- a current off the coast of the Somali peninsula, which changes its direction depending on the monsoon season.
The course of the West winds encircles the globe in southern latitudes. In the Indian Ocean, from it is the South Indian Ocean, which, near the coast of Australia, passes into the West Australian.
Western Australian- moves from south to north along the western coast of Australia. As you get closer to the equator, the water temperature rises from 15°C to 26°C. Speed: 0.9-0.7 km/h.
Underwater world of the Indian Ocean
Most of the ocean is located in the subtropical and tropical zones, and therefore is rich and diverse in terms of species.
The coast of the tropics is represented by vast thickets of mangroves, home to numerous colonies of crabs and amazing fish - mudskippers. Shallow waters are a great habitat for corals. And in temperate waters, brown, calcareous and red algae (kelp, macrocysts, fucuses) grow.
Invertebrates: numerous mollusks, a huge number of species of crustaceans, jellyfish. Lots of sea snakes, especially venomous ones.
Sharks of the Indian Ocean are a special pride of the water area. The largest number of shark species live here: blue, gray, tiger, great white, mako, etc.
Of the mammals, dolphins and killer whales are the most common. And the southern part of the ocean is the natural habitat of many species of whales and pinnipeds: dugongs, seals, seals. Most of the birds are penguins and albatrosses.
Despite the richness of the Indian Ocean, the seafood industry is poorly developed here. The catch is only 5% of the world. They harvest tuna, sardines, rays, lobsters, lobsters and shrimp.
Indian Ocean exploration
The coastal countries of the Indian Ocean are the centers of the most ancient civilizations. That is why the development of the water area began much earlier than, for example, the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 6 thousand years BC. the waters of the ocean were already plowed by shuttles and boats of ancient people. The inhabitants of Mesopotamia sailed to the shores of India and Arabia, the Egyptians carried on a lively maritime trade with the countries of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Key dates in the history of ocean exploration:
7th century AD - Arab sailors draw up detailed navigational charts of the coastal zones of the Indian Ocean, explore the water area near the eastern coast of Africa, India, the islands of Java, Ceylon, Timor, and the Maldives.
1405-1433 - Zheng He's seven sea voyages and exploration of trade routes in the northern and eastern parts of the ocean.
1497 - Vasco de Gama sails and explores the east coast of Africa.
(Expedition of Vasco de Gama in 1497)
1642 - two raids by A. Tasman, exploration of the central part of the ocean and the discovery of Australia.
1872-1876 - the first scientific expedition of the English corvette "Challenger", the study of the biology of the ocean, relief, currents.
1886-1889 - expedition of Russian explorers led by S. Makarov.
1960-1965 - International Indian Ocean Expedition, established under the auspices of UNESCO. The study of hydrology, hydrochemistry, geology and biology of the ocean.
1990s - present: studying the ocean with the help of satellites, compiling a detailed bathymetric atlas.
2014 - after the crash of the Malaysian Boeing, detailed mapping of the southern part of the ocean was carried out, new underwater ridges and volcanoes were discovered.
The ancient name of the ocean is Eastern.
Many species of wildlife in the Indian Ocean have an unusual property - they glow. In particular, this explains the appearance of luminous circles in the ocean.
In the Indian Ocean, ships are periodically found in good condition, however, where the entire crew disappears remains a mystery. Over the past century, this has happened to three ships at once: the ship "Cabin Cruiser", the tankers "Houston Market" and "Tarbon".
The message about the Indian Ocean will briefly tell you about the ocean, which is the third largest after the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. You can also use the report on the Indian Ocean to prepare for the lesson.
Message about the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean: geographical location
The Indian Ocean is located in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bounded by Eurasia in the northeast and north, Africa in the west, the Antarctic Convergence Zone in the southeast, the east coast of Africa in the south, and the west coast of Oceania and Australia in the east. This ocean is the third largest after the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Its area is 76.2 million km 2, and the volume of water is 282.6 million km 3.
Features of the Indian Ocean
It was from the Indian Ocean that the study of water expanses began. Of course, the population of the most ancient civilizations did not swim far into open waters and considered the ocean to be a huge sea. The Indian Ocean is quite warm: the water temperature near the coast of Australia is +29 0 С, in the subtropics +20 0 С.
In this ocean, unlike other oceans, a small number of rivers flow. Mostly in the north. The rivers carry a large amount of sedimentary rocks into it, so the northern part of the ocean is quite polluted. The southern part of the Indian Ocean is much cleaner, as there are no freshwater arteries. Therefore, the water is crystal clear with a dark, blue tint. It is the lack of desalination and large evaporation that is the reason that the salinity of the Indian Ocean is much higher than in other oceans. The most salty part of the Indian Ocean is the Red Sea. Its salinity is 42% 0. Also, the salinity of the ocean is affected by icebergs, which swim far inland. Up to 40 0 south latitude, the average salinity of the water is 32% 0.
Also in this ocean there is a huge speed of movement of the trade winds and monsoons. Therefore, large surface currents are formed here, changing every season. The largest of them is the Somali current, which flows from north to south in winter, and with the onset of summer it changes direction.
Relief of the bottom of the Indian Ocean
The bottom relief is varied and complex. A divergent system of mid-ocean ridges stands out in the southeast and northwest. They are characterized by the presence of rifts, transverse faults, seismicity and underwater volcanism. Between the ridges there are numerous deep-sea basins. The shelf at the bottom of the ocean is mostly small, but it is expanding off the coast of Asia.
Natural resources of the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is full of minerals, emeralds, diamonds, pearls and other precious stones. The Persian Gulf is home to the largest oil field ever developed by man.
Climate of the Indian Ocean
Since the Indian Ocean borders on the continents, the climatic conditions are determined by some measure by the surrounding land. It has the unspoken status of "monsoon". The fact is that a sharp contrast over the sea and land is strong winds, monsoons.
In summer, in the north of the ocean, the land heats up strongly and a low pressure area arises, which causes heavy precipitation over the ocean and the mainland. This phenomenon was called the “southwest equatorial monsoon.” In winter, the weather is harsher: destructive hurricanes are observed in the ocean, floods on land. Asia is dominated by an area of high pressure and trade winds.
Organic world of the Indian Ocean
The animal world is quite diverse and rich, especially in coastal areas and the tropical part. Coral reefs stretch along the entire Indian Ocean and continue into the Pacific. There are many thickets of mangroves in coastal waters. In the tropical region, there is a large amount of plankton, which, in turn, serves as food for larger fish (sharks, tuna). Sea turtles and snakes swim in the waters.
Anchovy, sardinella, mackerel, dolphin, flying fish, tuna, shark swim in the northern part. In the south there are white-blooded and notothenic fish, cetaceans and pinnipeds. In the thickets there is a large accumulation of shrimps, lobsters, krill.
It is interesting that against the background of such a vast diversity of the animal world, in the south of the Indian Ocean, an oceanic desert stands out, where life forms are minimal.
Indian Ocean interesting facts
- The surface of the Indian Ocean is covered with luminous circles from time to time. They disappear, then reappear. Scientists have not yet reached a consensus on the nature of these circles, but suggest that they appear due to the huge concentration of plankton floating on the surface of the water.
- In the ocean is the most salty on the planet (after the Dead) - this is the Red Sea. Not a single river flows into it, so it is not only salty, but also transparent.
- The most dangerous poisoner lives in the Indian Ocean - the blue-ringed octopus. Its dimensions are no larger than a golf ball. However, after being hit by it, a person begins to experience suffocation after 5 minutes and dies after 2 hours.
- This is the warmest ocean on the planet.
- Near the island of Mauritius, you can observe an interesting natural phenomenon - an underwater waterfall. From the outside it looks real. Such an illusion arises due to the runoff of sand in the water and the deposition of silt.
We hope that the message about the Indian Ocean helped you prepare for the lesson. And you can add a story about the Indian Ocean through the comment form below.
The Indian Ocean is the very ocean, the depths of which hold many mysteries and secrets. Although Indonesia is washed by two oceans - the Pacific and Indian, only the second applies to Bali. It is the Indian Ocean that owns the surf spots of the island. Since “you need to know your heroes by sight”, we have collected as many facts about this ocean as possible, some of them are amazing.
General information
The area of the Indian Ocean is approximately one fifth of the total area of \u200b\u200bour planet, it immediately washes 4 parts of the world out of 6 possible: Australia, Africa, Asia and even Antarctica. The ocean covers 57 groups of islands, 16 countries in Africa and 18 in Asia. It is the youngest and warmest ocean in the world.
During the period of great discoveries in the 1500s, the Indian Ocean gained status as one of the most important transportation routes. First of all, this was due to the desire of Europeans to gain access to India, where jewelry, rice, cotton, chic fabrics and much more were actively purchased. It is the Indian Ocean that connects the largest number of the most important ports in the world. By the way, it is in the Indian Ocean that about 40% of the world's oil is located. In second place is the production of natural gas (according to research, the reserves are about 2.3 trillion cubic meters).
Indian Ocean and surfing
The most popular destinations are:
Indonesia. Surfing began about 80 years ago when American photographer Robert Coke decided to found the Kuta Beach hotel. During the events associated with the Second World War and the Indonesian struggle for independence, surfing was forgotten. But insatiable for home spots, Australians revived surfing in the 1960s. The countless number of islands led by Bali have made Indonesia the most popular country in Asia for surfing. Sumatra (pictured above), Sumbawa, Java, Mentwai, Lombok, Nias, Timor - this is just a small part of the places where your vacation will definitely not be “beach”.
Sri Lanka. Surfers sailed here only in 1970. Unfortunately, happiness did not last long, as a civil war broke out in 1983. After some time, when peace reigned, the waves again began to delight surfers. But in 2006, the island was literally destroyed by a tsunami that claimed the lives of about 200,000 people. Restoration work is still going on, but tourism and surfing are returning and gaining momentum. Of course, there are much fewer surf spots than even in Bali - there are about 3 main surf spots here.
India. History is silent about who and when decided to catch their first wave. Although many associate India only with cows, yoga and endless meditations, surfing has a place to be. There are about 20 surf spots in the south, but getting to the waves is not so easy. Since surfing in India is not yet so popular, and the local population speaks little or no English, especially if you are not in Delhi or Mumbai, then get ready for a great language barrier.
Maldives. This place is perfect not only for a honeymoon, but also for surfing. The Australians discovered this in the 70s, crossing the Indian Ocean on a merchant ship towards Male. When one of them was forced to return to his homeland, he told his friends about this fabulous place, which served as a real surf boom. Enterprising Australians immediately began to organize trips. From April to October, when the waves will delight even an avid perfectionist, two days on the road will not stop a real surfer.
Mauritius. It was opened at the end of the last century. The real buzz is concentrated in the south of the island. Remarkably, on the same spot at the same time you can meet windsurfers, kitesurfers, and us ordinary surfers. Therefore, the spots are a bit congested with such a variety. It is also worth noting that Mauritius is included in the segment of luxury resorts, however, like the Maldives, so the option of a hippie vacation or a budget surf trip is unlikely.
Reunion. Small island, former colony of France. The best spots are located on the west coast of the island. It is very attractive for surfers, even despite the fact that the probability of a shark attack there is incredibly high (this year the 19th case with, alas, a sad outcome has already been recorded).
- In the Indian Ocean, the so-called “Milky Sea” is found - blue water with a radiant whitish tint. The reason for this is the bacterium Vibrio Harveyi, which seeks to get into the most favorable habitat for itself - the intestines of other inhabitants of the ocean. To achieve the goal, this creature takes on just such a “milky” color.
- The blue-ringed octopus is perhaps the most dangerous inhabitant of the Indian Ocean. The size of a palm, a baby octopus is capable of killing up to 10 people with its poison at a time. It should be noted right away that in the water it does not pose a danger, but if it is thrown out of its natural habitat, then this creature shows remarkable aggression. The poison paralyzes the muscular and respiratory systems, as a result of which the person begins to suffocate. It is worth noting that the predominant habitat of this little killer, of course, is in Australia.
- The Indian Ocean is rich not only in surf spots, but also in unsolvable mysteries. It was in these waters that a merchant ship or a ship was found more than once without a single damage, but completely empty. Where the people disappeared remains a mystery to this day.
And finally, here is a beautiful shot from the surf spot Padang Padang, Bali, Indonesia
It has the fewest seas. It has a peculiar bottom topography, and in the northern part - a special system of winds and sea currents.
Mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere between, and. Its coastline is slightly indented, with the exception of the northern and northeastern parts, where almost all the seas and large bays are located.
Unlike other oceans, the mid-ocean ridges of the Indian Ocean consist of three branches radiating from its central part. The ridges are dissected by deep and narrow longitudinal depressions - grabens. One of these huge grabens is the Red Sea depression, which is a continuation of the faults in the axial part of the Arabian-Indian mid-ocean ridge.
Mid-ocean ridges divide the bed into 3 large sections that are part of three different ones. The transition from the ocean floor to the continents is gradual everywhere, only in the northeastern part of the ocean is the arc of the Sunda Islands, under which the Indo-Australian lithospheric plate plunges. Therefore, a deep-sea trench about 4000 km long stretches along these islands. There are more than a hundred active volcanoes, among which the famous one is Krakatau, earthquakes often occur.
At the surface of the Indian Ocean depends on the geographical latitude. The northern part of the Indian Ocean is much warmer than the southern part.
Monsoons form in the northern part of the Indian Ocean (to the north of 10 S). In summer, the southwest summer monsoon blows here, carrying moist equatorial air from the sea to land, in winter - the northeast winter monsoon, carrying dry tropical air from the continent.
The system of surface currents in the southern half of the Indian Ocean is similar to the system of currents in the corresponding latitudes of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. However, north of 10°N. a special regime of water movement arises: monsoonal seasonal currents appear, changing direction to the opposite twice a year.
The organic world of the Indian Ocean has much in common with the organic world of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in the corresponding latitudes. In the shallow waters of the hot zones, coral polyps are common, creating numerous reef structures, including islands. Among the fish, the most numerous are anchovies, tuna, flying fish, sailfish, and sharks. The tropical coasts of the mainland are often occupied by mangroves. They are characterized by peculiar plants with terrestrial respiratory roots and special animal communities (oysters, crabs, shrimps, mudskipper fish). The bulk of the ocean animals are invertebrate planktonic organisms. In tropical coastal areas, sea turtles, poisonous sea snakes, endangered mammals - dugongs are common. Whales, sperm whales, dolphins, and seals live in the cold waters of the southern part of the ocean. Among the birds, the most interesting are the penguins that inhabit the coasts of South Africa, Antarctica and the islands of the temperate zone of the ocean.
Natural resources and economic development
The Indian Ocean has great biological wealth, but fishing is mainly limited to coastal areas, where, in addition to fish, lobsters, shrimps, and mollusks are caught. In the open waters of hot zones, tuna is fished, and in cold waters - whales and krill.
The most important are oil and natural gas deposits. The Persian Gulf with the land adjacent to it stands out especially, where 1/3 of the oil of the foreign world is extracted.
In recent decades, the coasts of warm seas and the islands of the northern part of the ocean have become increasingly attractive for people to relax, and the tourism business is booming here. Through the Indian Ocean, the volume of traffic is much less than through the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, it plays an important role in the development of the countries of South and Southeast Asia.
The underwater world of the Indian Ocean is no less fascinating, diverse and vibrant than the nature of coastal areas. Its warm waters abound with a large number of exotic plants and animals, which made it possible to call the third largest ocean the most populated expanse of water.
Animal world
In the waters of the Indian Ocean, among the incredible beauty of coral structures, there is a huge number of brightly colored fish, sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, crabs, worms, starfish, urchins, turtles, luminous anchovies, sailfish.
There are also species dangerous to humans: octopuses, jellyfish, poisonous sea snakes and sharks. A large amount of plankton is the main food for large fish such as sharks and tuna.
The spiny jumper lives in the mangroves - a fish that can stay on land for quite a long time, thanks to the special structure of the body. Sardinella, mullet, horse mackerel, sea catfish are found in coastal waters. White-blooded fish live in the southern part.
In tropical areas, you can meet rare and unusual representatives of the genus of sirens - dugongs, and, of course, dolphins and whales.
The most common birds are frigatebirds and albatrosses. Endemic species include the paradise flycatcher and the shepherd's partridge. Penguins live on the southern coast of Africa and in Antarctica.
Vegetable world
The flora of the coastal zones of the Indian Ocean is represented by dense thickets of brown and red algae (fucus, kelp, macrocystis). Of the green algae, caulerpa is the most common. Calcareous algae are represented by lithotamnia and Halimeda, which together with corals form reefs. Of the higher plants, thickets of poseidonia, a sea grass, are most common.