Marine Life
Marine life is the essence of MarineBio, so in this section we explore information on the science, biology, taxonomy, morphology, behavior, and ecological relationships of the fascinating marine life that inhabits the ocean.
What is Marine Biology?Learn all about the science of Marine Biology. |
A History of the Study of Marine BiologyCaptain James Cook (1728-1779) in 18th century Britain... |
The Naming of Life: Marine TaxonomyClassification of species into evolutionary relationships. |
Forests of the SeaPhytoplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, algae, sea grasses, and kelp... |
Coral ReefsShelter, recreation, medicines, sand... the work of millions of coral polyps... |
ZooplanktonBillions of tiny animals found throughout the ocean. |
Marine InvertebratesThese spineless animals include sponges, cnidarians, worms, mollusks... |
Marine VertebratesFrom polar bears to the 27,000+ species of fishes and counting... |
Structures & Adaptations to Marine LivingFins, scales, flashing lights... |
Grazers & PredatorsWe're familiar with grazers and predators on land, how do they behave in the sea? |
Marine Life CyclesFission, budding, eggs that hatch internally, eggs that hatch externally, live births... |
Symbionts, Parasites, Hosts & CooperationEvery form of interaction between species. |
Marine EcologyMarine life habitats, populations and interactions among organisms... |
Trophic StructureAll organisms can be placed in trophic levels depending what energy source they rely upon... |
 Biotic StructureThe way organisms interact within an ecosystem. Food webs vs food chains... |
Ecological RegulationComplex webs of factors that fit together to form balanced life systems... |
Marine Species DatabaseEndangered, threatened, and most common marine species. |
Marine Life PhotosBrowse photos from some of the world's best photographers and MarineBio staff... |
Marine Life VideosVideos from expeditions and across the Web of marine life... |
Marine Life ForumsThe latest research & news, marine conservation, marine animals & plants... |
What is Marine Biology?
- Marine biology is the study of life in the oceans and other saltwater environments such as estuaries and wetlands. All plant and animal life forms are included from the microscopic picoplankton all the way to the majestic blue whale, the largest creature in the sea—and for that matter in the world...
A History of the Study of Marine Biology
- It wasn't until the writings of Aristotle from 384-322 BC that specific references to marine life were recorded. Aristotle identified a variety of species including crustaceans, echinoderms, mollusks, and fish...
The Naming of Life: Marine Taxonomy
- Marine taxonomy and the science of naming life and evolutionary relationships...
Forests of the Sea: Phytoplankton and Marine plants
- Phytoplankton, Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Algae, Seagrasses, and Kelp Beds: Forests of the Sea...
Coral Reefs
- Importance, variety and conservation issues...
Zooplankton
- Taxonomy, Nanoplanktonic Flagellates, Cnidarians, Rotifera, Chaetognatha, Marine Gastropods, Polychaeta, Copepods, Cladocerans, Krill, Insect Larvae, Tunicates...
Marine Invertebrates
- Sponges, Cnidarians, Worms, Lophophorates, Molluscs, Arthropods, Echinoderms, and Hemichordates...
Marine Vertebrates
- Fishes, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals...
The Structures & Adaptations to Marine Living
- Here we look at the development and uses of marine body types, common characteristics like fins, scales and shells. We'll see how "different" marine life really is...
The Grazers & Predators
- Let's look at the different roles of marine life. We're familiar with grazers and predators on land, how do they behave in the sea..?
Marine Life Cycles
- We have fission, budding, eggs that hatch internally, eggs that hatch externally, live births, some start as plankton (zooplankton), some are born in fresh water, some are born on land...
Symbionts, Parasites, Hosts & Cooperation
- Every form of interaction between different species is seen in the sea. Some creatures depend on each other for food, protection or a just a safe place to lay eggs. A parasite isn't always bad... see examples of cooperation that we humans could learn from...
Marine Ecology
- Marine life habitats, populations and interactions among organisms and their environment...
Trophic Structure
- All organisms in an ecosystem can be placed in trophic levels depending what energy source they rely upon and how they provide energy for other organisms in the food web...
Biotic Structure
- The way organisms interact within an ecosystem. Food webs vs food chains, trophic levels, symbiosis, predators...
Ecological Regulation
- Complex webs of factors that fit together to form balanced life systems capable of withstanding most changes...
Marine Species Database
- Search/browse our growing database of endangered, threatened, and most common marine species...
Marine Life Photos
- Browse photos of marine life from some of the world's best photographers and MarineBio staff from around the world...
Marine Life Videos
- Watch videos from MarineBio Expeditions and across the Web of marine life and related movies and documentaries...
Marine Life Forums
- Join discussions involving the latest research & news, marine conservation, marine animals & plants, and much more...
Marine Biology News
Will earlier springs throw nature out of step?
The recent trend towards earlier UK springs and summers has been accelerating, according to a new study. The research is the most comprehensive and rigorous assessment so far of long-term changes in the seasonal timing of biological events across marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments in the UK.
'Boutique' fish farms created for Ugandans to combat Lake Victoria's depleted fish supplies
In a unique project to combat depleted fish supplies in Lake Victoria, researchers have established 'boutique' fish farms in small villages around the Lake's shore in Uganda.
Commercial fishing endangers dolphin populations, new study finds
Extensive commercial fishing endangers dolphin populations in the Mediterranean, according to a new study by researchers in Israel.
Seabed biodiversity of the Straits of Magellan and Drake Passage
A study of animals visible to the naked eye and living in and on the seabed -- the "macrobenthos" -- of the Straits of Magellan and Drake Passage will help scientists understand the biodiversity, biogeography and ecology of the Magellanic region.
Barley protein concentrate could replace fishmeal in aquaculture feeds
Scientists have developed a barley protein concentrate that could be fed to trout and other commercially produced fish.
Water movements can shape fish evolution
Researchers have found that the hydrodynamic environment of fish can shape their physical form and swimming style.
Is iron from soil a factor in algal blooms?
Scientists are studying the part that iron from Australia's iron-rich soil plays in the algal blooms that plague parts of the eastern coast line during summer.
New research rejects 80-year theory of 'primordial soup' as the origin of life
For 80 years it has been accepted that early life began in a "primordial soup" of organic molecules before evolving out of the oceans millions of years later. Today the "soup" theory has been overturned in a pioneering article which claims it was the Earth's chemical energy, from hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, which kick-started early life.
Fossils show earliest animal trails
Trails found in rocks dating back 565 million years are thought to be the earliest evidence of animal locomotion ever found. The newly-discovered fossils, from rocks in Newfoundland in Canada, were analysed by an international team. They identified over 70 fossilised trails indicating that some ancient creatures moved, in a similar way to modern sea anemones, across the seafloors of the Ediacaran Period.
Marine lab hunts subtle clues to environmental threats to blue crabs
Researchers are at work trying to identify the clues that will finger specific, yet elusive, environmental threats to the Atlantic blue crab.
Searching for cadmium in the ocean: Marine scientists investigate micro-nutrients in the Atlantic
They are invisible and very difficult to measure but no life in the oceans would be possible without them. They are trace metals, such as cadmium, copper or iron, dissolved in seawater. Their precise origin and distribution in the world’s ocean, in particular in the deep sea, are not well known. Now, an international research program aims to close this gap of knowledge.
Discovery of algae's toxic hunting habits could help curb fish kills
A microbe commonly found in the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways emits a poison not just to protect itself but to stun and immobilize the prey it plans to eat.
Brazil's Northeast under the vagaries of the oceans
Brazil’s Nordeste region, an extensive steppe called the “Sertão”, is home to over 50 million, 28% of the country’s population living on 12% of its surface area, and is one of the world’s most heavily populated semi-arid zones. The inter-annual variability in rainfall is mainly controlled by the sea-surface temperatures of the tropical Pacific and Atlantic. Aiming to assess the impact of these temperatures on production of maize and beans in this Northeast region, researchers compared the trends in these two variables between 1952 and 2000. Their findings are useful for building prediction scenarios for annual yield at the onset of each rainy season.
Red grouper to be 'Frank Lloyd Wrights of the sea'
To the casual observer in the Gulf of Mexico, the seemingly sluggish red grouper is more of a couch potato than a busy beaver. But a new study reveals the fish to be both architect and ecosystem engineer.
Jurassic 'burn-down' events and organic matter richness in the Kimmeridge Clay Formation
The sediments of the Kimmeridge Clay Formation were deposited during the Late Jurassic between around 160 and 145 million years ago, the age of the reptiles. They are the main oil source rock in the North Sea. However, within this unit beds rich in organic matter are interspersed with organic-poor sediments. New evidence demonstrates that organic-poor sediments were probably caused by post-depositional loss of organic matter during so-called "burn-down" events.
Slipped through the net: Europe misses by more than 30 years the international goal of rebuilding its fish stocks
At the Development Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, the European countries agreed to rebuild their fish stocks to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield, no later than 2015. According to scientists of the Excellence Cluster "Future Ocean" in Kiel, Germany, that goal is already out of reach: Of 54 analysed stocks, only very fey stocks have sufficiently large size and are fished at a sustainable rate. The state of twelve stocks, including North Sea cod, plaice and halibut, is so bad that they can not recover sufficiently until 2015, even if all fishing would be halted.
Unusual snail shell could be a model for better armor
Deep within the Kairei Indian hydrothermal vent field, two-and-one-half miles below the central Indian Ocean, scientists have discovered a gastropod mollusk, whose armor could improve load-bearing and protective materials in everything from aircraft hulls to sports equipment.
Offshore wind power and wave energy devices create artificial reefs
Offshore wind power and wave energy foundations can increase local abundances of fish and crabs. The reef-like constructions also favor blue mussels and barnacles. What's more, it is possible to increase or decrease the abundance of various species by altering the structural design of foundation.
Genetic analysis disputes increase in Antarctic minke whales
A new genetic analysis of Antarctic minke whales concludes that population of these smaller baleen whales have not increased as a result of the intensive hunting of other larger whales -- countering arguments by advocates of commercial whaling who want to "cull" minke whales.
Do fish feel pain? Norwegian research suggests they can
A Norwegian researcher studying nociception and pain in teleost fish concludes that is that it is very likely the fish can indeed feel pain.
