University Bremen, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences

The deep ocean is largely unexplored. Although the oceans cover approximately 70 % of the Earth’s surface, we know less about the seafloor than about the surface of the moon. The ocean plays a key role in the Earth’s system, since it provides linkages between components, such as geosphere, biosphere and the climate system. The underlying processes and interactions are not fully understood. However, the ocean is pivotal for mankind. On the one hand, it serves as food source, on the other hand we dump waste into the ocean and exploit resources with sometimes considerable consequences for the marine environment. A better understanding of the complex interactions in our marine environment is therefore a prerequisite for a sustainable exploitation of the oceans.