What is Marine Biology?

What is Marine Biology Introduction

Marine Biology is the scientific study of the organisms that live in the sea

• Marine biology is closely related to biological oceanography
• But how are they different?
• Marine Biology
• Marine Biologists generally tend to focus on organisms that are close to the shorelines and study marine life based on the perspective of the organisms.
• Biological Oceanography
• Oceanographers tend to study life that is from the shoreline and in the open ocean
• They also tend to study from the perspective of the ocean

• Why study marine biology?
• Marine life is a source of wealth and resources
• Food, medicine, tourism, merchandise
• Life on Earth originated from the sea; therefore, studying marine organisms might help us learn more about life.
• Study and research for safety purposes and potentially discovering scientific breakthroughs.
• Marine organisms produce approximately half of the oxygen we breathe and help regulate the earth’s climate

Technology Used In Marine Biology

• Sonar (sound navigation ranging) detects the underwater echoes.
• A ship would emit a pulse of sound under the sea and time how long it would take for the echo to return from the sea floor.
• The amount of time it takes for the echoes to return can determine the water depth range
• The sonar device allowed the first detailed surveys of large areas of the ocean floor.

• Scuba (self contained underwater breathing apparatus) developed by Émile Gagnan Jacques Cousteau
• Scuba allows scientists to swim below the surface of the ocean to observe marine organisms living in that environment
• Scuba allows people breathe compressed air under water.

• Research vessels equipped with advanced technologies for navigation, studying and sampling.
• Submarines can be used to study the deepest parts of the ocean.

• Satellites are used to view vast areas of the ocean all at once

• Critter-cams
• These are underwater video cameras that are attached to marine animals.
  They are used to observe and record the behaviors of marine animals underwater

• Transmitters are also attached to animals like elephant seals
• These devices can measure temperature, salinity, gas concentration, turbidity, pressure and other factors.

• Remote sensing technologies are also used to observe the underwater activities
• Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)
• Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)

Scientific Method

It is important to know that:
All scientific studies, including the ones related to marine life, are rooted in the ideas of the Scientific Method

Marine Biology
What is Marine Biology - SG Learn Online