In shallow water flora and fauna is concentrated around coral reefs where there is little variation in water temperature, purity and salinity. When tropical waters become unusually warm for extended periods of time, microscopic plants called zooxanthellae, which are symbiotic partners living within the coral polyp tissues, die off. The principal ocean current is the North Equatorial Current, which enters the region from the tropical Atlantic. The rainfall varies with the elevation and water current and ranging from less than 12 inches a year on the Bonaire Island to about 350 inches a year in the areas around Dominica. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. The Cayman Trough, also known as the Bartlett Deep, is an interesting point in the sea because it sits on multiple tectonic plates, including the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. However, a devastating tsunami in 2004 led to the loss of over 200,000 deaths and the massive destruction of property. ( the 377ft. The region has several types of sea turtle (loggerhead, green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback turtle, Atlantic ridley and olive ridley). In the deep Caribbean Sea are multiple animals with limited vision and glow-in-the-dark scales. (2004). They are also fairly certain the area contains deepwater snapper populations, deepwater corals and geological features such as seamounts and mud volcanoes. The Aves Ridge, incomplete at its southern extremity, separates the Venezuelan Basin from the small Grenada Basin, which is bounded to the east by the Antillean arc of islands. The deep basins and trenches in the Caribbean Sea bed are covered by deep red clay sediments, whereas the ridges and the continental slopes are covered by calcareous silts. 000, 000 sq km 000, 000 sq mi 000, 000 cu km 000, 000 cu mi m ft. Atlantic Ocean. It is estimated that 13,000 species of plants grow in the Caribbean of which 6,500 are endemic. The area's importance largely results from one-third of the world's shipping sailing through its waters and that it is believed to hold huge oil and gas reserves beneath its seabed. In the Caribbean Sea, piracy was very rampant during the 1500s and 1600s. 4. Arid climates are found along the extreme southern coast of Venezuela out to the islands including Aruba and Curaao, as well as the northern tip of Yucatn[25]. In the Caribbean 600 species of birds have been recorded of which 163 are endemic. Did you know that an explorer once traveled to the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench in a private mission? Official websites use .gov During the Cretaceous the Caribbean acquired the shape close to that seen today. Rainfall varies from about 10 inches (25 cm) per year on the island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela to some 350 inches (900 cm) annually in parts of Dominica. Another type shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) grows on sand and mud surfaces at depths of up to 5m (16ft). In neither hydrology nor climate, however, does the Caribbean resemble the Mediterranean. Other floral species that are found in the Caribbean region include mahogany, caimito, coconut palms, and mangroves. Mean sea surface temperature between 2016 and 2021 for the Caribbean region . Warm, moist trade winds blow consistently from the east, creating both rainforest and semi-arid climates across the region. The sea has shipping routes where about 33.33% of the worlds shipping takes place. In the early Jurassic due to powerful marine transgression, water broke into the present area of the Gulf of Mexico creating a vast shallow pool. The surface water colour is blue-green to green. These sills are located below the Anegada Passage, which runs between the Virgin Islands and the Lesser Antilles, and the Windward Passage, which stretches between Cuba and Hispaniola. The ocean borders various countries in America, Europe, and Africa. Youll also discover their deepest point, the marine life available, their economic purposes, and more. According to Birdlife International in 2006 in Cuba 29 species of bird are in danger of extinction and two species officially extinct. While the Caribbean Sea may sound never-ending, there is a maximum depth. Off the northeastern coast of South America, this current splits into the Caribbean Current, which passes into the Caribbean Sea and through the . This article explores ten of the worlds largest oceans and seas, including the Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Indian Ocean. The Largest Farm in the Entire World Is Bigger Than 11 U.S. States! After the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas applied to the lands; stemming from this, Sea of the Antilles became a common alternative name for Caribbean Sea in various European languages. About three-fourths of the area covered by ocean is deep, permanently dark, and cold. Forces producing the Panamanian isthmus and the Antillean arc were vertical, resulting in no ultimate horizontal movement. The shelf gives way at its edge to a slope, which is broken by submarine valleys and is steep in its upper parts. Deepest Point: Wheatley Deep (19,028 feet). The most-recent estimate of the average ocean depth of 3,682 meters (12,080 feet) was calculated in 2010 by scientists from NOAA and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution using satellite measurements. The average depth of the Caribbean Sea is approximately 7,220 feet below the sea's surface. During this session, the public can pose their questions directly to the three experts, who also include Andrea Quattrini, Ph.D., a biologist with U.S. Geological Survey; and Mike Cheadle, Ph.D., a geologist with the University of Wyoming. The Atlantic Ocean basin is the 2nd biggest ocean in the world, covering about 20% of the Earths surface. This Triangle has mysteriously led to the disappearance of many ships and airplanes. Its average depth of 1,500 m, with its deepest point in Calypso Deep descending to 5,267 m. The Strait of Gibraltar (a narrow waterway) connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The name Coral came from the numerous coral reefs, including the worlds largest known as the Great Barrier Reef. The green iguana is invasive to Grand Cayman. Surface area, volume, and average depth of oceans and seas. (Image credit: NOAA). Average depth: 1,615 metres (5,299 ft) Max. Please select which sections you would like to print: Alternate titles: Antillean-Caribbean Sea. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, Inc. pp. The major ocean current greatly influences the areas climate is the North Equatorial Current, which enters the Caribbean Sea region from the tropical Atlantic Ocean. The islands are further divided into three distinct island groups: the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas Archipelago. (1991). (2004). Just by a few thousand feet, the Atlantic Ocean is deeper than the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean Sea is also considered to be home to a large fishing industry. It forms part of the Great Mayan Reef (also known as the MBRS) and, being over 1,000km (600mi) in length, is the world's second longest. The Yucatn Channel between Mexico and Cuba links the Gulf of Mexico with the Caribbean. Former Professor of Oceanography, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 196776. This sea has a rich history of exploration, especially by Christopher Columbus. The deepest points of the sea lie in Cayman Trough with depths reaching approximately 7,686m (25,220ft). Join us onFacebook,Twitter, Instagramand our othersocial media channels. [32], The Caribbean region supports a large tourism industry. Upper sedimentary layers relate to the period from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic (250million years ago to present) and the lower layers from the Paleozoic to the Mesozoic. The eastern trade winds blow across the region leading to the creation of semi-arid and rainforest climates in the area. In the early Paleogene due to marine regression the Caribbean became separated from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean by the land of Cuba and Haiti. The Caribbean Sea (Spanish: Mar Caribe; French: Mer des Carabes; Haitian Creole: Lanm Karayib; Jamaican Patois: Kiaribiyan Sii; Dutch: Carabische Zee; Papiamento: Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. Islands are inhabited by some endemic species such as rock iguanas and American crocodile. The Arabian Sea has an average depth of 2,734 m, with its deepest point in Wheatley Deep descending to about 5,800 m. The formation of this sea took place roughly 50 million years ago. This ocean is relatively calm and offers significant sea routes for transporting materials such as oil, rice, sugar, and silk. [10] Most recently, a 7.1 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Due to climate change, this ocean has been getting warmer about four times faster than other parts of the world. It has an average depth of 2200 meters with a deepest point of 7500 meters below the surface. Well be exploring an area of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone that science knows very little about, said Alan Leonardi, Ph.D, director of NOAAs Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, the federal program responsible for coordinating this expedition. During the first and second phases the basin was free of deformation. Herman Molls' 1732 Map of the Caribbean. Because of these characteristics, the area was identified by members of the ocean science community as important to explore, and data from the expedition will likely have long-lasting implications for scientists and resource managers in the Caribbean. About 500 reptiles are found in the Caribbean including the blue iguana, rhinoceros iguana, Mona ground iguana, green turtle, loggerhead turtle, Atlantic ridley turtle, leatherback turtle, etc. It runs along the Caribbean coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. Continued destruction of the reefs could severely damage the region's economy. This is the deep sea. The region has several types of sea turtle (loggerhead, green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback turtle, Atlantic ridley and olive ridley). The Cayman Basin, to the south, is partially separated from the Yucatn Basin by Cayman Ridge, an incomplete fingerlike ridge that extends from the southern part of Cuba toward Guatemala, rising above the surface at one point to form the Cayman Islands. [1][2] The sea's deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686m (25,217ft) below sea level. The blue iguana, endemic to the island of Grand Cayman, is endangered. Continents and islands cover the remaining 29%. The Arabian Sea has an average depth of 2,734 m, with its deepest point in Wheatley Deep descending to about 5,800 m. The formation of this sea took place roughly 50 million years ago. Deepest Point: Milwaukee Deep (27,493 feet). It runs 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Underwater earthquakes pose a threat of generating tsunamis which could have a devastating effect on the Caribbean islands. 10m. Hastings, D. and P.K. 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