The global oceans play a vital role in sustaining life on Earth.
Oceans are generating half of the world
’
s oxygen, providing the
largest active carbon sink and absorbing a signi
fi
cant portion of
anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO
2
)(
WBGU, 2006
). Our oceans are
continually regulating climate and temperature, while providing
economic resources and environmental services to billions of
people around the globe. The oceans of our planet serve as an
intricate and generous life-support system for the entire biosphere.
Ocean circulation, in constant interaction with the earth
’
s atmo-
sphere, regulates global climate and temperature, and
e
through
multiple feedback loops related to ocean warming
e
is a principadriver of climate variability and long-term climate change (
UNEP,
2007
).