Journal of Coastal Zone Management

Marine and Coastal Biodiversity

The oceans cover 70% of the planet’s surface area, and marine and coastal biodiversity contain diverse habitats that support an abundance of marine life. Life in our seas produces a third of the oxygen that we breathe, offers a valuable source of protein and moderates global climatic change. Some examples of marine and coastal habitats include mangrove forests; coral reefs; sea grass beds; estuaries in coastal areas; hydrothermal vents; and seamounts and soft sediments on the ocean floor a few kilometres below the surface.