Ocean Currents

What is unique about Great Britain’s extensive coastline?

A combination of fluctuating water temperatures, diverse chemical compositions, and dynamic land features make Cornwall’s coasts particularly rich area for biodiversity. This session on oceanography explains why the local economy can be so driven by fishing and ecotourism.

Given that the ocean covers ~70% of our planet’s surface, understanding it is critical to understanding ourselves. But oceanography - the scientific study of the ocean - is a relatively new research subject. Watch the two videos below to learn about this field of study and our Blue Planet.

No matter where you are in Great Britain, you’re never more than 70 miles from the coast. When you’re in Cornwall, you can’t even get 30 miles away from the ocean. The region’s water-centric geography has shaped its land, its economy, and its culture for centuries. Read more via the links below. (And for those of you interested in the more technical aspects of geology, this primer gives a good overview.)

Cornwall is famous for its wildlife. Whales, dolphins, and puffins are particular draws for tourists, but the region’s hedgerows are home to many other important species that may not be as visually popular but are equally critical to the ecosystem. 

Climate change is vastly affecting the ocean, and Cornwall’s local marine life: read more in the article below about ocean currents. But it’s not all bad news, since marine life can also serve as a great carbon sink. And even as warmer temperatures are a sign of problematic climate change impacts, they can also bring temporary, local benefits through phenomena such as the 2020 phytoplankton bloom.

Jaksha, Amanda P. “Biodiversity in the Ocean”. National Geographic.