15 SARGASSUM SARGASSO FIFTEEN ASTOUNDING FACTS ALL ABOUT THE SEA TOP INTERESTING

SARGASSO SEA - 15 FACTS

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SARGASSUM - The giant brown seaweed, having shown that it can spread from North to South Atlantic oceans, could spread to the Indian and Pacific oceans as a potentially invasive species. The proof of which (as a theory) is satellite pictures, and changing wind states. The spread witnessed here, could just as easily migrate between oceans, and thence to the bays and seas within those oceans.

What is generally regarded as an amazing natural phenomenon as the Sargasso sea, is not actually a sea at all as we understand it, because a "sea" is a bounded area of water. Whereas, we are talking about a large mass of macro algae, or seaweed, floating in the Atlantic Ocean, as a revolving mass, or gyre.

This has been the focus of attention by scientists for several centuries. Even though it has long been known how and why it was formed, it does not become less astounding. Unfortunately, the phenomenon is almost impossible to take a look at it with your own eyes, unless you’re a professional sailor or diver.

TOP FIFTEEN FACTS ABOUT THE SARGASSO SEA

1. There’s no wind above waters. The reason for this is that there’s a zone of high atmospheric pressure in this region. In the era of sailing ships, such calm was really deadly. That’s why the Sargasso sea had a very bad reputation for so long. It was even called the “ship eater”.

2. The area of the Sargasso sea is approximately 8 times larger than the area of France. However, this is an approximation only. An exact area of this 'organic sea' depends on the ocean currents and time of year.

3. This is the only sea on Earth that has no shores. (At the moment)

4. The water temperature in the Sargasso sea is never lower than 18С degrees (+64F degrees).

5. Its water mass rotates clockwise slowly but continuously, full of algae and other life forms.

6. The first European to visit this amazing place was the famous Christopher Columbus.

7. Algae mass in the Sargasso sea is more or less dependent on the month. Their total mass ranges from about 5 to 11 million tons. Though, the New (equatorial) Sargasso Sea divests some 20 plus million tons per year. Normally ending up in the Caribbean Sea.

8. Sea currents bring here a lot of debris from different parts of the ocean, and nowadays there has formed a real garbage island.

9. The water level in the Sargasso sea is higher than in the ocean around 1-2 meters. The reason for this phenomenon is clearly understood as yet: save that ocean currents bring a lot of water here.

10. Eels living near the shores of Europe and the United States swim here to lay their roes, despite the fact that they spend about 3 years to make this journey.

11. The diversity of life in the Sargasso Sea is much lower than in any other. There’s a lot of biomass, but the number of different life forms living here is low.

12. About two thousand unique microorganisms, previously unknown, have been found in the Sargasso Sea.

13. The depth of the Sargasso sea is from 4 to almost 7 kilometers (from 2,5 to 4,3 miles).

14. The famous and mysterious Bermuda triangle is also situated here.

15. The only species of large algae living here is sargassum.

LIKELY SEA/OCEAN STUDY AREAS:

Arabian Sea

Atlantic - North & South Equatorial

Banda Ceram Molucca & Timor Seas

Pacific Ocean - North & South, Equatorial Belt (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama regions)

Philippine Sea

South China Sea

Seas and oceans in equatorial latitudes could become inundated with sargassum (macro algae) if the rafts of floating seaweed manage to navigate less hospitable barriers, such as colder regions. Which at the moment, Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope appear to be barriers to invasion.

PLASTIC TIDE - These amazing pictures of a giant plastic tide were taken by Caroline Power. Please note how plastic and sargassum intertwine, creating a separation problem.

LINKS & REFERENCE

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