Marine Biology Marine biology is the branch of biology that deals with organisms living in the sea. It embraces a very diverse group of sub sciences, both basic and applied. Marine biology requires a marine science degree but most students specialize in many biology with a masters or PhD qualification. (Kuder 4). Many people study marine organisms all over the word. Biologists know less about the life in the sea than on land or in fresh water (Burkett 2). Marine biology is closely related to the science of oceanography because both deal with the features of the ocean and the living organisms that dwell in them. Marine biologist’s main purpose is to study the way marine organisms live in their natural habitat. Theses studies include various chemical and physical properties of the seawater, to the movements of currents in the ocean, to the solid surfaces that make up the sea floor, and lastly the availability of light at various depths (Burkett 8). Marine biology as an organized science had its beginnings largely in a series of brilliant oceanographic expeditions by the British. The greatest of these voyages was the HMS challenger. (1872-1876) The challenger expedition traveled 69,000 miles collecting data from 362 stations and describing 4,717 new species of marine organisms (Burkett 26). Since World War II, the study of marine organisms has greatly improved. This has been made possible by the usage of underwater cameras, televisions, computers, and improved diving equipment and vehicles. Only about 300,000 marine species have been described so far; conservative’s estimates suggest that there are at least 5 times the number still to be identified and liberal estimates suggest there are at least 30 to 40 times the number (Day 145). Marine biology is often offered as a bachelors degree program. Colleges and universities offer a range of degrees in marine biology from an associate’s degree to a doctorate (Kuder 11). Students usually attend schools that are near the ocean so they can carry out their observations of marine life in their natural habitats. It is recommended that students should spend an entire semester studying while at sea. Also, marine biologist majors may also want to think about attending a school located near an aquarium where they may be able to complete an internship. By attending an internship students can gain valuable work experience and can also help them establish future contacts (Crist 16). Although, becoming a marine biologist is
Ms. Welsh Marine Biology Portfolio 2 May 2013 Bald Eagle Figure 1 (Bald Eagle) The Bald Eagle is brown speckled when young. It also has a snowy, feathered head and a white tail. The shape of this bird is like any other bird but way bigger. This monstrous bird can weigh up to 14 pounds. The wingspan can also be anywhere from 6 to 8 feet wide. The body of a Bald Eagle can be 34 to 43 inches long. These beautiful birds live along coastlines and woodlands and are abundant in Alaska and Canada…
Marine Biology Chapter 8 1. Invertebrates-animals that lack a vertebral column. 2. Vertebrates-animals that have a vertebral column. 3. Sessile-animals permanently attached to a solid surface. 4. Ostia-holes in the body of sponges through which water enters. 5. Spongocoel-cavity in the body of a sponge. 6. Osculum-an opening through which a sponge expels water. 7. Tissues-groups of specialized cells that performed a specific function. 8. Collar Cells (Choanocytes)-flagellated cells in…
Oceanography also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean. It covers a wide range of topics, including marine organisms and ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics; plate tectonics and the geology of the sea floor; and fluxes of various chemical substances and physical properties within the ocean and across its boundaries. These diverse topics reflect multiple disciplines that oceanographers blend to further knowledge…
Introduction: Marine ecosystem: In the earth’s aquatic ecosystem, Marine aqua ecosystem is also one among it. Life originated on around Earth started about 3.5 billion years ago in the oceans. Today, the number of organisms living there is unknown, merely which is very large and that only a few is known to humans. Around 18 million km² of land are protected globally, but oceans protect only 10% of this area, though oceans cover 71% of the Earth’s surface. The marine ecosystem can be sub categorized…
The impacts of marine pollution are vast and prominent in our planets oceans. Our Earth is a delicate ecosystem, which has been put into extreme stress due to human activities. This includes everything from the more radical- oil spills, waste and industrial dumping- to the minor scale human activities such as garbage and household disposal that become waste runoff into the sea. However, Williams (1996) notes that even though there are both radical and minor cases of pollution, we should view them…
specific ecosystem is reliant on the other elements of that ecological society. Oceans are considered ecosystems due to the plant life supporting the animal life and also the animal life supporting the plant life. The earth’s marine waters cover two- thirds of its surface making marine ecosystem the largest of its aquatic ecosystems. In this paper we will identify the effects that a growing human population may have on that ecosystem’s resources, including loss or harm to populations of wild species,…
before doing it and will not be able to refuse the opportunity because of the immense potential this ability carries. Having an ability such as this one could save lives due to not being able to drown and it could be beneficial for anyone interested in marine life and they would take the opportunity as soon as it is available therefore when it is possible to get this ability that it should be allowed for…
Organism Physiology: The Octopus Bio/101 The cephalopodor octopus is a marine organism that inhabits many diverse regions of the ocean. Its food source consists of crabs, small fish, clams, mussels and other marine animals. The octopus is a predatory animal and has developed many skills to aid in its survival in the environment it has adapted to. The octopus has several main organs that are vital to its survival; the brain for its intelligence; the ink sack for its defense; and the arms for…
Hickman 1 Jeff Hickman 09 February 2010 Auto bio Essay Team Spirit 89 I had spent the first half of my life knowing of death without fully understanding it. In junior high and high school, some of my friends had died. When I was four, my mother died. Then my grandmother took over, but she died five years later, requiring my aunt to raise me through the remainder of my school years. However, through all this, the reality of death never really hit me. I actually did not think about it much at all…
Intertidal Zonation What is Intertidal Zonation? Intertidal zonation refers to the tendency of plants and animals to form visible communities along the marine shoreline, between the high and low tide lines. The ability of plants and animals to tolerate the special conditions of the intertidal zone determines where on the shoreline they can live. They must be able to survive pounding surf, daily flooding with salt water, exposure to the air, large fluctuations in temperature, and sometimes exposure…