Difference between revisions of "North Sea"
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== Local environment == | == Local environment == | ||
− | + | [[File:NorthSeaEmodnet.jpg|thumb|right|300px|North Sea bathymetry. From [https://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=image&pic=115811 EMODNET] Creative Commons licence.]] | |
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+ | The North Sea is a shallow, relatively young ecosystem. The major part of the North Sea is a former landmass flooded by the sea in the period 6-15 thousand years BP. It is still being colonised by new species from the Atlantic. The North Sea is a rich source of marine resources including fisheries, aggregates (sand and gravel), oil and gas. The region is surrounded by the [[coastline]]s of England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, which benefit from its resources. | ||
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The primary threats to [[biodiversity]] in the North Sea are overexploitation of fisheries, resource exploitation (oil, gas and aggregate extraction), [[nutrients|nutrient]] input from the heavily populated coastal regions, recreational use and [[habitat]] loss. | The primary threats to [[biodiversity]] in the North Sea are overexploitation of fisheries, resource exploitation (oil, gas and aggregate extraction), [[nutrients|nutrient]] input from the heavily populated coastal regions, recreational use and [[habitat]] loss. | ||
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== See also == | == See also == | ||
− | + | Related articles in the [[:Category:North Sea]] | |
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− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Coastal and marine habitats]] |
− | + | [[Category:North Sea]] | |
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Latest revision as of 14:56, 14 February 2024
Local environment
The North Sea is a shallow, relatively young ecosystem. The major part of the North Sea is a former landmass flooded by the sea in the period 6-15 thousand years BP. It is still being colonised by new species from the Atlantic. The North Sea is a rich source of marine resources including fisheries, aggregates (sand and gravel), oil and gas. The region is surrounded by the coastlines of England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, which benefit from its resources.
Specific biodiversity issues
The North Sea is one of the most productive seas in the world, with a vast array of plankton, fish, seabirds and benthic communities.The area contains some of the world's most important fishing grounds. The deeper northern regions of the North Sea have higher diversity and lower biomass than more shallow southern regions.
Threats
The primary threats to biodiversity in the North Sea are overexploitation of fisheries, resource exploitation (oil, gas and aggregate extraction), nutrient input from the heavily populated coastal regions, recreational use and habitat loss.
See also
Related articles in the Category:North Sea