Marine biology is the scientific study of living organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere. Marine is an Umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the Sea or Ocean, such as Marine biology, Marine Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather than on taxonomy. Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles This article is about the body of water For other uses see SEA and Seas. See also Natural environment The '''biophysical''' environment is the symbiosis between the physical environment and the Biological Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos

Marine life is a vast resource, providing food, medicine, and raw materials, in addition to helping to support recreation and tourism all over the world. Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's Body or Mind. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel At a fundamental level, marine life helps determine the very nature of our planet. Marine organisms contribute significantly to the oxygen cycle, and are involved in the regulation of the earth's climate. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of ^[1] Shorelines are in part shaped and protected by marine life, and some marine organisms even help create new land. A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water such as an Ocean, Sea, or Lake. ^[2]

Marine biology covers a great deal, from the microscopic, including most zooplankton and phytoplankton, where zooplankton can be as small as 0. Zooplankton are the Heterotrophic (sometimes detritivorous) type of Plankton. Phytoplankton are the Autotrophic component of the Plankton community 02 micrometers or as big as 2 meters in the case of the sunfish to the huge cetaceans (whales) which reach up to a reported 48 meters (125 feet) in length. A micrometre ( American spelling: micrometer; symbol µm) is one millionth of a Metre, or equivalently one thousandth of a Millimetre The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, or common mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world The Order Cetacea (sɪˈteɪʃiə L cetus, whale includes Whales Dolphins and Porpoises Cetus is The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit

The habitats studied by marine biology include everything from the tiny layers of surface water in which organisms and abiotic items may be trapped in surface tension between the ocean and atmosphere, to the depths of the abyssal trenches, sometimes 10,000 meters or more beneath the surface of the ocean. For the work of fiction see Surface Tension (short story. Surface tension is a property of the surface of a Liquid that causes it to The oceanic trenches are hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor It studies habitats such as coral reefs, kelp forests, tidepools, muddy, sandy and rocky bottoms, and the open ocean (pelagic) zone, where solid objects are rare and the surface of the water is the only visible boundary. Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of Kelp. Tide pools (also tidal pools, rock pools or rock and roll pools) are rocky pools by Oceans that are filled with Seawater.

A large amount of all life on Earth exists in the oceans. Exactly how large the proportion is still unknown. While the oceans comprise about 71% of the Earth's surface, due to their depth they encompass about 300 times the habitable volume of the terrestrial habitats on Earth.

Many species are economically important to humans, including the food fishes. For the fishing industry and the practice of fishing see Fishing. It is also becoming understood that the well-being of marine organisms and other organisms are linked in very fundamental ways. Human understanding is growing of the relationship between life in the sea and important cycles such as that of matter (such as the carbon cycle) and of air (such as Earth's respiration, and movement of energy through ecosystems). The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the Biosphere, Pedosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere, and This article is about computer-driven prediction of Earth's climate for the theories and mathematics of climate modeling please see Climate model. Large areas beneath the ocean surface still remain effectively unexplored.

Contents 1 Subfields 1.1 Related fields 2 Lifeforms 2.1 Microscopic life 2.2 Plants and algae 2.3 Marine invertebrates 2.4 Fish 2.5 Reptiles 2.6 Seabirds 2.7 Marine mammals 3 Oceanic habitats 3.1 Reefs 3.2 Deep sea and trenches 3.3 Open ocean 3.4 Intertidal and shore 4 How oceanic factors affect distribution of various organisms 5 Famous marine biologists 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

Subfields

The marine ecosystem is large, and thus there are many subfields of marine biology. Marine ecosystems are among of the earth's Aquatic ecosystems They include Oceans Salt marshes estuaries Lagoons, rocky Subtidal Most involve studying specializations of particular species (i. e. phycology, invertebrate zoology and ichthyology). Phycology (from Greek grc φύκος phykos, "seaweed" and grc -λογία -logia) or algology (from Latin Invertebrate zoology is the biological discipline that involves the study of Invertebrates As invertebrates account for 97% of all Animal Ichthyology (from Greek ἰχθυ ikhthu, "fish" and λόγος logos, "knowledge" is the branch of Zoology devoted to the study

Other subfields study the physical effects of continual immersion in sea water and the ocean in general, adaptation to a salty environment, and the effects of changing various oceanic properties on marine life. Seawater is Water from a Sea or Ocean. On average seawater in the world's oceans has a Salinity of about 3 A subfield of marine biology studies the relationships between oceans and ocean life, and global warming and environmental issues (such as carbon dioxide displacement). Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single

Recent marine biotechnology has focused largely on marine biomolecules, especially proteins, that may have uses in medicine or engineering. Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. Many marine Biomolecules have found technological applications Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Marine environments are the home to many exotic biological materials that may inspire biomimetic materials. Bionics (also known as biomimetics, biognosis, Biomimicry, or bionical creativity engineering) is the application of biological

Related fields

Marine biology is a branch of oceanography and is closely linked to biology. Oceanography (from the greek words Ωκεανός meaning Ocean and γράφω meaning to write also called oceanology or Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles It also encompasses many ideas from ecology. Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of Fisheries science and marine conservation can be considered partial offshoots of marine biology. Fisheries science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding Fisheries. Marine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and preservation of Ecosystems in Oceans and Seas Marine conservation Zoology and even the National Coast Guard are also in certain ways related to Marine Biology.

Lifeforms

Microscopic life

Microscopic life undersea is incredibly diverse and still poorly understood. For example, the role of viruses in marine ecosystems is barely being explored even in the beginning of the 21st century. A virus (from the Latin virus meaning Toxin or Poison) is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable

The role of phytoplankton is better understood due to their critical position as the most numerous primary producers on Earth. Phytoplankton are the Autotrophic component of the Plankton community See also Primary production (economics Primary production is the production of Organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic Carbon dioxide, Phytoplankton are categorized into cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae/bacteria), various types of algae (red, green, brown, and yellow-green), diatoms, dinoflagellates, euglenoids, coccolithophorids, cryptomonads, chrysophytes, chlorophytes, prasinophytes, and silicoflagellates. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, blue-green bacteria or Cyanophyta, is a phylum of Bacteria that obtain their energy Algae ( sing. alga are a large and diverse group of simple typically Autotrophic organisms ranging from Unicellular to Multicellular forms Diatoms ( Greek: (dia = "through" + (temnein = "to cut" i The dinoflagellates are a large group of Flagellate Protists Most are marine Plankton, but The euglenids (or euglenoids) are one of the best-known groups of Flagellates commonly found in freshwater especially when it is rich in organic materials with a Coccolithophores (also called coccolithophorids) are single-celled Algae, Protists and Phytoplankton belonging to the Division The cryptomonads are a small group of Flagellates most of which have Chloroplasts They are common in freshwater and also occur in marine and brackish habitats The golden algae or chrysophytes are a large group of Heterokont Algae found mostly in freshwater Chlorophyta, a division of Green algae, of mostly aquatic Photosynthetic Eukaryotic organisms Silicoflagellates are a small group of unicellular Heterokont Algae, found in marine environments

Zooplankton tend to be somewhat larger, and not all are microscopic. Zooplankton are the Heterotrophic (sometimes detritivorous) type of Plankton. Many Protozoa are zooplankton, including dinoflagellates, zooflagellates, foraminiferans, and radiolarians. Protozoa (in Greek πρῶτον proton "first" and ζῷα zoia "animals" are unicellular Eukaryotes (singular Flagellates are cells with one or more whip-like organelles called flagella. The Foraminifera, ("Hole Bearers" or forams for short are a large group of Amoeboid Protists with reticulating Pseudopods fine Radiolarians (also radiolaria) are Amoeboid Protozoa that produce intricate Mineral Skeletons typically with a central capsule Some of these (such as dinoflaggelates) are also phytoplankton; the plant/animal distinction often breaks down in very small organisms. Other zooplankton include cnidarians, ctenophores, chaetognaths, molluscs, arthropods, urochordates, and annelids such as polychaetes. Cnidaria (naɪˈdɛəriə is a phylum containing some 9000 Species of Animals found exclusively in aquatic mostly marine, environments The phylum Ctenophora (tɨˈnɒfərə commonly known as comb jellies, is a phylum that includes the Sea gooseberry ( Pleurobrachia pileus) and Chaetognatha is a phylum of predatory marine worms that are a major component of Plankton worldwide Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 Arthropods are Animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, " Joint " Tunicate, also known as urochordata, tunicata (and by the common names of urochordates, sea squirts, and sea pork) is the The annelids, collectively called Annelida (from Latin anellus "little ring" are a large phylum of Animals comprising The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of Annelid worms generally marine Many larger animals begin their life as zooplankton before they become large enough to take their familiar forms. Two examples are fish larvae and sea stars (also called starfish). A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example Starfish (also called sea stars) are any Echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea.

Plants and algae

Plant life is relatively rare undersea. Most of the niche occupied by sub plants on land is actually occupied by macroscopic algae in the ocean, such as Sargassum and kelp which are commonly known as seaweeds. In Ecology, a niche (pronounced nich nēsh or nish A shorthand definition of niche is how an organism makes a living Algae ( sing. alga are a large and diverse group of simple typically Autotrophic organisms ranging from Unicellular to Multicellular forms Sargassum is a genus of generally planktonic (free-floating macroalgae ( Seaweed) in the order Fucales. Kelp are large Seaweeds ( Algae) belonging to the Brown algae and classified in the order Laminariales Seaweed is a loose colloquial term encompassing macroscopic Multicellular, benthic marine Algae. The non algae plants that do survive in the sea are often found in shallow waters, such as the seagrasses (examples of which are eelgrass, Zostera, and turtle grass, Thalassia). Seagrasses (or sea-grasses in British English) are Flowering plants from one of four plant families ( Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Zostera is a small genus of widely distributed Seagrass, commonly called eelgrass. These plants have adapted to the high salinity of the ocean environment. The intertidal zone is also a good place to find plant life in the sea, where mangroves or cordgrass or beach grass might grow. Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. Spartina, commonly known as cordgrass or cord-grass, contains 14 Species, native to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean in western and southern Sea kelp is very important to small sea creatures because the creatures can hide from predators. Kelp are large Seaweeds ( Algae) belonging to the Brown algae and classified in the order Laminariales Eel grass is the most important. It is where hairing and other small fish live to escape from preditors.

Marine invertebrates

Main article: Marine invertebrates

As on land, invertebrates make up a huge portion of all life in the sea. The term " marine invertebrates " is used to describe animals found in a marine environment which are Invertebrates lacking a Notochord. An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate Invertebrate sea life includes Cnidaria such as jellyfish and sea anemones; Ctenophora; sea worms including the phyla Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, Annelida, Sipuncula, Echiura, Chaetognatha, and the Phoronida; Mollusca including shellfish, squid, octopus; Crustacea; Porifera; Bryozoa; Echinodermata including starfish; and Urochordata - sea squirts or tunicates. Cnidaria (naɪˈdɛəriə is a phylum containing some 9000 Species of Animals found exclusively in aquatic mostly marine, environments Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They have several different basic morphologies that represent several different cnidarian classes including the Sea anemones are a group of water dwelling predatory animals of the order Actiniaria; they are named after the Anemone, a terrestrial Flower The phylum Ctenophora (tɨˈnɒfərə commonly known as comb jellies, is a phylum that includes the Sea gooseberry ( Pleurobrachia pileus) and A phylum ( Plural: phyla) is a Taxonomic rank between Kingdom and above Class. The flatworms (Phylum Platyhelminthes from the Greek πλατύ platy, meaning "flat" and ἕλμινς (root ἑλμινθ- helminth- Nemertea is a Phylum of Invertebrate Animals also known as ribbon worms or proboscis worms   The annelids, collectively called Annelida (from Latin anellus "little ring" are a large phylum of Animals comprising The Sipuncula or Sipunculida, sipunculid worms or peanut worms, are a phylum containing 144-320 Species (estimates vary of bilaterally The Echiura, or spoon worms are a small group of marine Animals They are often considered to be a group of Annelids although they lack the segmented Chaetognatha is a phylum of predatory marine worms that are a major component of Plankton worldwide Phoronids (' Phoronida') commonly known as horseshoe worms, are a relatively small animal Phylum: twenty species are known in two genera Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 Shellfish is a Culinary and Fisheries term for those aquatic Invertebrate animals that are used as Food: various species of molluscs Squid are marine Cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species The Structure of crustaceans As Arthropods crustaceans have a stiff Exoskeleton, which must be shed to allow the animal to grow ( Ecdysis or molting The sponges or poriferans (from Latin porus "pore" and ferre "to bear" are Animals Bryozoans are tiny colonial Animals that generally build stony Skeletons of Calcium carbonate, superficially similar to Coral (although some Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata) are a phylum of marine Animals (including Sea stars) Tunicate, also known as urochordata, tunicata (and by the common names of urochordates, sea squirts, and sea pork) is the Tunicate, also known as urochordata, tunicata (and by the common names of urochordates, sea squirts, and sea pork) is the Tunicate, also known as urochordata, tunicata (and by the common names of urochordates, sea squirts, and sea pork) is the

Fish

Main article: Fish

Fish have evolved very different biological functions from other large organisms. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two eVolution is the third Album by eLDee, it was due to be released in 2008 Fish anatomy includes a two-chambered heart, operculum, secretory cells that produce mucous, swim bladder, scales, fins, lips and eyes. The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the Gills In most fish the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known living Organisms It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living and is often called gas bladder (also fish maw, less accurately swim bladder or air bladder) is an internal organ that contributes to the ability of a Fish In most biological nomenclature a scale ( Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an Animal fin is a surface used to produce lift and Thrust or to steer while traveling in Water, air or other Fluid media Lips are a visible body part at the mouth of humans and many animals Eyes are organs that detect Light, and send signals along the Optic nerve to the visual areas of the brain Fish breathe by extracting oxygen from water through their gills. Fins propel and stabilize the fish in the water.

Well known fish include: sardines, anchovy, ling cod, clownfish (also known as anemonefish), and bottom fish which include halibut or ling cod. For the hide and seek-like game see Hide and seek. Sardines, or pilchards, are a group of several types of small Oily The anchovies are a family ( Engraulidae) of small common salt-water fish The lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, is a fish of the greenling family Hexagrammidae. Clownfish and anemonefish are Fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae. A bottom feeder is an Aquatic animal that feeds on or near the bottom of a body of water A halibut is a type of Flatfish The lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, is a fish of the greenling family Hexagrammidae. Predators include sharks and barracuda. Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body The barracuda is a Ray-finned fish known for its large size (up to 16 ft in length and up to a foot in width for some species) and fearsome appearance

Reptiles

Main article: Marine reptile

Reptiles which inhabit or frequent the sea include sea turtles, Marine Iguana, sea snakes, and Saltwater Crocodiles. Marine reptiles are Reptiles which have become secondarily adapted for an aquatic or semi-aquatic life in a marine environment. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. The Marine Iguana ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is an Iguana found only on the Galapagos Islands that has the ability unique among modern Lizards For sea snakes in mythology and cryptozoology see Sea serpent. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable All extant marine reptiles are oviparous and need to return to land to lay their eggs. Extant is a term commonly used to refer to Taxa (such as Species, genera or families) that are still in existence (living Oviparous animals are animals that lay eggs, with little or no other Embryonic development within the mother Thus most species, excepting sea turtles, live on or near land rather than in the ocean. Some extinct marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, evolved to be viviparous and had no requirement to return to land. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Ichthyosaurs ( Greek for 'fish lizard' - ιχθυς / ichthyos meaning 'fish' and σαυρος / sauros meaning 'lizard' were giant A viviparous Animal is an animal employing vivipary: the embryo develops inside the body of the mother as opposed to outside in an egg ( Ovipary

Seabirds

Seabirds are species of birds adapted to living in the marine environment, examples including albatross, penguins, gannets, and auks. Seabirds are Birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large Seabirds allied to the procellariids, Storm-petrels and Diving-petrels Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless Birds living almost Gannets are Seabirds in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies. This article is about a family of birds For the American ornithological journal see The Auk. Although they spend most of their lives in the ocean, species such as gulls can often be found thousands of miles inland. Gulls (often informally Seagulls) are birds in the family Laridae

Marine mammals

Main article: Marine mammal

There are five main types of marine mammals. Marine mammals are a diverse group of roughly 120 species of Mammal that are primarily Ocean -dwelling or depend on the ocean for food

• Cetaceans include toothed whales (Suborder Odontoceti), such as the Sperm Whale, dolphins, and porpoises such as the Dall's porpoise. The Order Cetacea (sɪˈteɪʃiə L cetus, whale includes Whales Dolphins and Porpoises Cetus is The toothed whales ( Systematic name Odontoceti) form a Suborder of the Cetaceans including sperm whales beaked whales orca dolphins The toothed whales ( Systematic name Odontoceti) form a Suborder of the Cetaceans including sperm whales beaked whales orca dolphins The Sperm Whale ( Physeter macrocephalus or Physeter catodon) is the largest of all Toothed whales and largest living toothed animal Dolphins are Marine mammals that are closely related to Whales and Porpoises There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genera. Porpoises are Small Cetaceans of the Family Phocoenidae; they are related to Whales and Dolphins They are distinct from dolphins Dall's Porpoise ( Phocoenoides dalli) is a Species of Porpoise that came to worldwide attention in the 1970s Cetaceans also include baleen whales (Suborder Mysticeti), such as the Gray Whale, Humpback Whale, and Blue Whale. The baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form the Mysticeti, one of two suborders of the Cetacea (whales dolphins and The baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form the Mysticeti, one of two suborders of the Cetacea (whales dolphins and The Gray Whale or Grey Whale ( Eschrichtius robustus) is a Whale that travels between feeding and breeding grounds yearly The humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) is a Baleen Whale. The Blue Whale ( Balaenoptera musculus) is a Marine mammal belonging to the suborder of Baleen whales (called Mysticeti
• Sirenians include manatees, the Dugong, and the extinct Steller's Sea Cow. Not to be confused with order Sirenidae (aquatic salamanders For the Gothic metal band see Sirenia (band Sirenia Manatees ( family Trichechidae, Genus Trichechus) are large fully aquatic Marine mammals sometimes known as sea The dugong ( Dugong dugon) is a large Marine Mammal which together with the Manatees is one of four living species of the order Sirenia Steller's sea cow ( Hydrodamalis gigas) is an Extinct, large Sirenian Mammal formerly found near the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea
• Seals (Family Phocidae), sea lions (Family Otariidae - which also include the fur seals), and the Walrus (Family Odobenidae) are all considered pinnipeds. Pinnipeds ("fin-feet" lit "winged feet" or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semi-aquatic marine Mammals comprising The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of Mammals within the seal Suborder, Pinnipedia. For other uses of the term "sea lion" see Sea lion (disambiguation. The eared seals or otariids are Marine mammals in the family Otariidae - one of three groupings of Pinnipeds. The walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered Marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and The walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered Marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and Pinnipeds ("fin-feet" lit "winged feet" or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semi-aquatic marine Mammals comprising
• The Sea Otter is a member of the Family Mustelidae, which includes weasels and badgers. The sea otter ( Enhydra lutris) is a Marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Mustelidae or Mustelids (from Latin mustela, Weasel) commonly referred to as the weasel family, is a family of carnivorous Mammals Weasels are Mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. Badger is the Common name for any animal of three subfamilies which belong to the family Mustelidae: the same Mammal family as the
• Finally, the Polar Bear (Family Ursidae) is sometimes considered a marine mammal because of its dependence on the sea. The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) is a Bear native to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas

Oceanic habitats

Reefs

Main article: Coral reef

Reefs comprise some of the densest and most diverse habitats in the world. In nautical terminology a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water (six fathoms or less at low water The best-known types of reefs are tropical coral reefs which exist in most tropical waters; however, reefs can also exist in cold water. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water Reefs are built up by corals and other calcium-depositing animals, usually on top of a rocky outcrop on the ocean floor. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Reefs can also grow on other surfaces, which has made it possible to create artificial reefs. An artificial reef is a man-made underwater structure typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas of generally featureless bottom Coral reefs also support a huge community of life, including the corals themselves, their symbiotic zooxanthellae, tropical fish and many other organisms. Zooxanthellae (plural ˌzoʊoʊzænˈθɛli are golden-brown intracellular Endosymbionts of various marine Animals and Protozoa, especially Anthozoans

Much attention in marine biology is focused on coral reefs and the El Niño weather phenomenon. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon In 1998, coral reefs experienced a "once in a thousand years" bleaching event, in which vast expanses of reefs across the Earth died because sea surface temperatures rose well above normal. Some reefs are recovering, but scientists say that 58% of the world's coral reefs are now endangered and predict that global warming could exacerbate this trend. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the

Deep sea and trenches

The deepest recorded oceanic trenches measure to date is the Mariana Trench, near the Philippines, in the Pacific Ocean at 10924 m (35838 ft). The oceanic trenches are hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor The Mariana Trench (or Mariana's Trench) is the deepest part of the world's Oceans and the deepest location on the surface of the Earth 's The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions At such depths, water pressure is extreme and there is no sunlight, but some life still exists. Fluid pressure is the Pressure at some point within a Fluid, such as water or air Small flounder (family Soleidae) fish and shrimp were seen by the American crew of the bathyscaphe Trieste when it dove to the bottom in 1960. The true soles are a family Soleidae, of Flatfishes and include species that live in salt water and Fresh water. A bathyscape, bathyscaphe, or bathyscaph is a free-diving self-propelled deep-sea Diving Submersible, consisting of a crew cabin similar Design Trieste was designed by the Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard and built in Italy

Other notable oceanic trenches include Monterey Canyon, in the eastern Pacific, the Tonga Trench in the southwest at 10,882 m (35,702 ft), the Philippine Trench, the Puerto Rico Trench at 8605 m (28232 ft), the Romanche Trench at 7760 m (24450 ft), Fram Basin in the Arctic Ocean at 4665 m (15305 ft), the Java Trench at 7450 m (24442 ft), and the South Sandwich Trench at 7235 m (23737 ft). Monterey Canyon, or Monterey Submarine Canyon, is a Submarine canyon in Monterey Bay, California. The Tonga Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean and is 10882 meters (35702 ft deep at its deepest point known as the Horizon Deep. The Philippine Trench or Philippine Deep or Mindanao Trench or Mindanao Deep is a Submarine trench to the east of the Philippine Islands The Puerto Rico Trench is an Oceanic trench located on the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Romanche Trench, also called the Romanche Furrow or Romanche Gap, is the third deepest of the major trenches of the Atlantic Ocean, after The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The Java Trench, also called Sunda Trench, located in the northeastern Indian Ocean, with a length of 2600 km and a maximum depth of 7725 meters (at 10°19'S 109°58'E The South Sandwich Trench is a deep arcuate trench in the South Atlantic Ocean lying 100 km to the east of the South Sandwich Islands.

In general, the deep sea is considered to start at the aphotic zone, the point where sunlight loses its power of transference through the water. Many life forms that live at these depths have the ability to create their own light.

Much life centers on seamounts that rise from the deeps, where fish and other sea life congregate to spawn and feed. A seamount is a Mountain rising from the Ocean Seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface ( Sea level) and thus is not an Island Hydrothermal vents along the mid-ocean ridge spreading centers act as oases, as do their opposites, cold seeps. A hydrothermal vent is a Fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated Water issues A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater Mountain range typically having a valley known as a Rift running along its axis formed by In Geography, an oasis (plural oases) or Cienega ( Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a Desert, typically A cold seep (sometimes called a cold vent) is an area of the Ocean floor where Hydrogen sulfide, Methane and other Hydrocarbon -rich Such places support unique biomes and many new microbes and other lifeforms have been discovered at these locations. A biome is a climatically and geographically defined area of ecologically similar climatic conditions such as communities of Plants Animals and A microorganism (also spelled micro organism or micro-organism and also called a microbe) is an Organism that is Microscopic (usually

Open ocean

The great expanse of open ocean habitat is huge, and many species can be found passing through it and living in it. The term "open ocean" usually is meant to refer to the vast stretches of water between points of land, or between undersea mounts. Contrary to popular notions the open ocean is often not the place where marine animals spend the majority of their lives. Most species simply pass through the open ocean on their ways to other places. Larger species are the main ongoing inhabitants.

Intertidal and shore

Intertidal zones, those areas close to shore, are constantly being exposed and covered by the ocean's tides. Sea anemones are a group of water dwelling predatory animals of the order Actiniaria; they are named after the Anemone, a terrestrial Flower California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood A huge array of life lives within this zone.

Shore habitats span from the upper intertidal zones to the area where land vegetation takes prominence. It can be underwater anywhere from daily to very infrequently. Many species here are scavengers, living off of sea life that is washed up on the shore. Many land animals also make much use of the shore and intertidal habitats. A subgroup of organisms in this habitat bores and grinds exposed rock through the process of bioerosion. Bioerosion describes the Erosion of hard ocean substrates by living organisms by a number of mechanisms

How oceanic factors affect distribution of various organisms

An active research topic in marine biology is to discover and map the life cycles of various species and where they spend their time. A life cycle is a period involving 1 Generation of an Organism through means of Reproduction, whether through Asexual reproduction or Sexual Marine biologists study how the ocean currents, tides and many other oceanic factors affect ocean lifeforms, including their growth, distribution and well-being. An ocean current is continuous directed movement of Ocean water. Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood This has only recently become technically feasible with advances in GPS and newer underwater visual devices. Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth

Most ocean life breeds in specific places, nests or not in others, spends time as juveniles in still others, and in maturity in yet others. Scientists know little about where many species spent different parts of their life cycles. For example, it is still largely unknown where sea turtles travel. Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. Tracking devices do not work for some life forms, and the ocean is not friendly to technology. Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt

Famous marine biologists

• Ali Abdelghany (born 1944), Egyptian marine biologist
• Jakob Johan Adolf Appellöf (1857-1921), Swedish marine zoologist. Ali Ezzeldin Abdelghany (born 16 June 1944 in Cairo) is an Egyptian academic and marine biologist. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Jakob Johan Adolf Appellöf ( Garda on Gotland 2 November 1857 &ndash 5 January 1921 was a Swedish marine zoologist "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation.
• Samuel Stillman Berry (1887-1984), U. Samuel Stillman Berry ( March 16, 1887 - 1984 was a US marine Zoologist specialized on Cephalopods He was born in Unity S. marine zoologist.
• Henry Bryant Bigelow (1879–1967), U. Henry B Bigelow (1879–1967 was a pioneering Oceanographer and Marine biologist. S. marine biologist.
• Rachel Carson (1907-1964), American Marine Biologist and Author. Rachel Louise Carson (May 27 1907 – April 14 1964 was an American marine biologist and Nature writer whose writings are credited with advancing the global
• Carl Chun (1852-1914), German marine biologist
• Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910-1997), French marine biologist and explorer
• Charles Darwin (1809-1882), wrote Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs (1842) while aboard the HMS Beagle
• Anton Dohrn (1840-1909), German marine biologist
• Sylvia Earle (born 1935), American oceanographer
• Hans Hass (born 1919), Austrian marine biologist and diving pioneer
• Gotthilf Hempel (born 1929), German marine biologist
• Ilham Artüz (1924-1993), Turkish Marine Biologist and Oceanographer
• Johan Hjort (1869-1948), Norwegian marine zoologist and one of the founders of ICES
• Bruno Hofer (1861-1916), German fisheries scientist
• Emperor Showa of Japan (1901-1989), jellyfish taxonomist
• Uwe Kils (born 1951), German marine biologist
• August David Krohn (1803–1891), Russian/German zoologist
• William Elford Leach (1790-1836), English zoologist and marine biologist
• Nicholai Miklukho-Maklai (1846-1888), Russian marine biologist and anthropologist
• Sir John Murray (1841-1914), Scots-Canadian marine biologist
• Ed Ricketts (1897-1948), American marine biologist noted for a pioneering study of intertidal ecology
• Harald Rosenthal (born 1937), German hydrobiologist known for his work in fish farming and ecology
• Michael Sars (1809–1869), Norwegian theologian and biologist
• Georg Sars (1837-1927), Norwegian marine biologist
• Gunnar Thorson (1906-1971), Danish marine biologist
• Ruth Turner (1915-2000), marine biologist
• Charles Wyville Thompson (1832-1882), Scottish marine biologist

Source: List of biologists. Carl Chun ( October 1, 1852 – April 11, 1914) was a German marine Biologist. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Jacques-Yves Cousteau ( 11 June 1910 – 25 June 1997) was a French naval officer explorer, Ecologist, This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Charles Robert Darwin (February 12 1809 &ndash April 19 1882 was an English naturalist, who realised and demonstrated that all Species of life First Voyage On 27 September 1825 Beagle docked at Woolwich for repairs and fitted out for her new duties at a total cost of £5913 Felix Anton Dohrn ( September 29, 1840 - September 26, 1909) was a prominent German Darwinist and the founder and first Sylvia Alice Earle (born August 30, 1935 in Gibbstown New Jersey) is an American Oceanographer. Hans Hass (born January 23, 1919 in Vienna, Austria) is a diving pioneer and mainly known for his documentaries about Sharks Gotthilf Hempel (born March 8, 1929) is a retired German marine biologist and oceanographer. Johan Hjort (born 18 February 1869 in Christiania, now Oslo; died 7 October 1948 in Oslo) was a Norwegian For the ICES civil engineering software package see COGO. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES ( Conseil International Bruno Hofer (1861 &ndash 1916 was a German fishery scientist, credited with being the founder of fish pathology also known as, (April 29 1901 – January 7 1989 was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order reigning from December 25 1926 until his death Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They have several different basic morphologies that represent several different cnidarian classes including the Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos Uwe Kils (born July 10, 1951) is a German marine biologist specializing in Planktology. August David Krohn ( 1803 – 1891) was a Saint Petersburg born zoologist of German origin William Elford Leach FRS ( 2 February 1790 – 26 August 1836) was an English Zoologist and Marine biologist England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Nicholai Nicholaevich Miklukho-Maklai ( Николай Николаевич Миклухо-Маклай in Russian, ( Микола Миколайович Миклухо-Маклай Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Sir John Murray KCB (3 March 1841 – 16 March 1914 was a pioneering Scots-Canadian Oceanographer and Marine biologist. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Edward Flanders Robb Ricketts ( May 14, 1897 - May 11, 1948) commonly known as Ed Ricketts, was an American Marine Harald Rosenthal (* June 9 1937 in Berlin) is a German hydrobiologist and fisheries scientist known for his work in fish Michael Sars (b August 30, 1805, d October 22, 1869) was a Norwegian Theologian and Biologist. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Georg Ossian Sars ( April 20 1837 - April 9 1927) was a Norwegian marine biologist Gunnar Axel Wright Thorson ( 31 December 1906 25 January 1971) was a Danish marine Zoologist and Ecologist. Ruth Dixon Turner ( 1915 - April 30 2000) was a pioneering Marine biologist who became the world's expert on Teredos, wood-boring Professor Sir Charles Wyville Thomson ( March 5, 1830 &ndash March 10, 1882) was Professor of Zoology This is a list of notable Biologists. It includes zoologists botanists ornithologists malacologists naturalists and other specialities

See also

• Algae
• Aliens of the Deep (documentary)
• Bioerosion
• Fish
• Freshwater biology
• Important publications in marine biology
• Institute for Marine Mammal Studies
• The Marine Mammal Center
• Marine vertebrates
• Marine debris
• Ocean
• Phycology
• Public aquarium
• Sea
• Wembury Marine Centre
• White Sea Biological Station

References

External links

• The Marine Scientist - the quarterly international magazine for marine scientists
• Global Water Facts, from Environment Canada
• Marine Biologist Career Description
• Oceanography Image of the Day, from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• MarineBio: an evolving online tribute to Marine Biology and all Ocean life.
• Marine Conservation Society: UK charity for seas and wildlife.
• SeaTurtle.org: Tracking a sea turtle.
• Marinebiology.co.uk a marine biology resource.
• Marine Ecology Progress Series (MEPS).
• Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.
• Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland - MarLIN.
• University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – Freshwater and Marine Image Bank An ongoing digital collection of images related to freshwater and marine topics.
• "Creatures of the Deep," a photo gallery and Flash video of creatures from the deep ocean.
• Photo exhibit "Oceano: vida escondida" (Ocean: hidden life) revealing the aesthetics of marine lifeforms, from the Marine Biology Center (CEBIMar) of São Paulo University.
• PISCO - Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans
• The Marine Environmental Research Institute
• The National Ocean Service
• Get Marine Biology Jobs, Career portal dedicated exclusively to the field of Marine Biology
• Bioerosion website at The College of Wooster

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