Chapter 10 - Ocean boundaries, connectivity, and inter-ocean exchanges

Abstract

Alternative to the traditional static perspective, ocean basins can be re-defined from a dynamical perspective, which respects the connectivity between different parts of the global ocean. This connectivity is both at the surface, for buoyant material, and in all three dimensions for the water itself. In driving waters together or apart, ocean currents separate the ocean into a number of provinces, the frontiers of which are dynamical fronts. Far from being esoteric or philosophical, this new way of thinking and analysing the oceans informs an understanding of ecological connectivity or isolation, underpinning marine biogeography. The oceans may be thus dynamically partitioned with a range of granularity. Connectivity at small scales respects the extent of national or provincial resources in marine spatial planning. At global scale, connectivity of a single interconnected ocean is essential to understanding our climate and biogeochemical cycles at planetary scale.