---
id: kb-2026-00496
title: Ocean Life
schema_type: TechArticle
category: science
language: en
confidence: medium
last_verified: '2026-05-28'
created_date: '2026-05-22'
generation_method: ai_assisted
ai_models:
  - claude-opus
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: none_declared
is_live_document: false
data_period: static
atomic_facts:
  - id: fact-ocean-life-1
    statement: NOAA states that the ocean holds about 97 percent of Earth water.
    source_title: How much water is in the ocean?
    source_url: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanwater.html
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-ocean-life-2
    statement: NOAA describes coral reefs as home to millions of species.
    source_title: What species live in and around coral reefs?
    source_url: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_species.html
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-ocean-life-3
    statement: >-
      NOAA describes hydrothermal vents as seafloor springs of heated, mineral-rich water that
      support distinctive ecosystems.
    source_title: What is a hydrothermal vent?
    source_url: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/vents.html
    confidence: medium
completeness: 0.84
known_gaps:
  - This compact article intentionally covers a small, source-mapped slice of a broader topic.
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - title: How much water is in the ocean?
    type: government_report
    year: 2024
    url: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanwater.html
    institution: NOAA National Ocean Service
  - title: What species live in and around coral reefs?
    type: government_report
    year: 2024
    url: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_species.html
    institution: NOAA National Ocean Service
  - title: What is a hydrothermal vent?
    type: government_report
    year: 2024
    url: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/vents.html
    institution: NOAA National Ocean Service
secondary_sources: []
updated: '2026-05-28'
---

## TL;DR

Ocean life spans coral reefs, pelagic waters, and deep-sea ecosystems supported by physical and chemical gradients.

## Core Explanation

Ocean life depends on the physical and chemical conditions of marine environments, from sunlit reefs to hydrothermal vent ecosystems. NOAA explainers provide compact evidence for the water, reef, and vent claims here.

## Further Reading

- [How much water is in the ocean?](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanwater.html)
- [What species live in and around coral reefs?](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_species.html)
- [What is a hydrothermal vent?](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/vents.html)