Marine Life

Marine Life / What is Marine Biology? »

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 Biology Captain James Cook (1728-1779) in 18th century Britain...
The Naming of Life: Marine Taxonomy Classification of species into evolutionary relationships.	Forests of the Sea Phytoplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, algae, sea grasses, and kelp...
Coral Reefs Shelter, recreation, medicines, sand... the work of millions of coral polyps...	Zooplankton Billions of tiny animals found throughout the ocean.
Marine Invertebrates These spineless animals include sponges, cnidarians, worms, mollusks...	Marine Vertebrates From polar bears to the 27,000+ species of fishes and counting...
Structures & Adaptations to Marine Living Fins, scales, flashing lights...	Grazers & Predators We're familiar with grazers and predators on land, how do they behave in the sea?
Marine Life Cycles Fission, budding, eggs that hatch internally, eggs that hatch externally, live births...	Symbionts, Parasites, Hosts & Cooperation Every form of interaction between species.
Marine Ecology Marine life habitats, populations and interactions among organisms...	Trophic Structure All organisms can be placed in trophic levels depending what energy source they rely upon...
Biotic Structure The way organisms interact within an ecosystem. Food webs vs food chains...	Ecological Regulation Complex webs of factors that fit together to form balanced life systems...
Marine Species Database Endangered, threatened, and most common marine species.	Marine Life Photos Browse photos from some of the world's best photographers and MarineBio staff...
Marine Life Videos Videos from expeditions and across the Web of marine life...	Marine Life Forums The 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 [ScienceDaily]

King Crabs Go Deep To Avoid Hot Water
Researchers have drawn together 200 years' worth of oceanographic knowledge to investigate the distribution of a notorious deep-sea giant - the king crab. The results reveal temperature as a driving force behind the divergence of a major seafloor predator; globally, and over tens of millions of years of Earth's history.

Little-known Marine Decomposers Attract The Attention Of Genome Sequencers
Scientists will sequence the genomes of four species of labyrinthulomycetes. These little-known marine species were selected for sequencing as the result of a proposal submitted to the competitive JGI Community Sequencing Program by a team of microbiologists.

Rising Acidity Levels Could Trigger Shellfish Revenue Declines, Job Losses
Changes in ocean chemistry -- a consequence of increased carbon dioxide emissions from human industrial activity -- could cause US shellfish revenues to drop significantly in the next 50 years, according to a new study.

Thirst For Blood Sparks Toxic Algal Blooms
The blooming of toxic algae that occurs during the summer conceal a fight for life and death. Scientists now propose that algal blooms are created when aggressive algae kill and injure their competitors in order to absorb the nutrients they contain.

Natural-born Divers And The Molecular Traces Of Evolution
When the ancestors of present marine mammals returned to the oceans, their physiology had to adapt radically. Scientists have been studying how myoglobin, the molecule responsible for delivering oxygen to the muscles during locomotion, has been modified in seals and whales to help them cope with the needs of a life at sea.

Health-related Loss In Salmon Farming
New research shows that health-related loss in modern salmon farming may be systematically monitored and quantified, both in biological and economical terms.

'Bycatch' Whaling A Growing Threat To Coastal Whales
Scientists are warning that a new form of unregulated whaling has emerged along the coastlines of Japan and South Korea, where the commercial sale of whales killed as fisheries "bycatch" is threatening coastal stocks of minke whales and other protected species.

Dolphins Get A Lift From Delta Wing Technology
Dolphins are supremely agile swimmers, but it wasn't clear how their fins help them maneuver though water. Building scale models of whale and dolphins' fins, a team of US scientists has found that some dolphins' fins work just like delta wing aircraft.

Corals Stay Close to Home
New DNA analysis reveals that corals in one locality are more closely related than previously thought; results have significant implications for coral conservation.

High Carbon Dioxide Levels Cause Abnormally Large Fish Ear Bones
Rising carbon dioxide levels in the ocean have been shown to adversely affect shell-forming creatures and corals, and now a new study has shown for the first time that carbon dioxide can impact a fundamental bodily structure in fish.

Global Sunscreen Won't Save Corals
Emergency plans to counteract global warming by artificially shading the Earth from incoming sunlight might lower the planet's temperature a few degrees, but such "geoengineering" solutions would do little to stop the acidification of the world oceans that threatens coral reefs and other marine life, report the authors of a new study. The culprit is atmospheric carbon dioxide, which even in a cooler globe will continue to be absorbed by seawater, creating acidic conditions.

Ancient Climate Change: When Palm Trees Gave Way To Spruce Trees
One long-standing climate puzzle relates to the Late Eocene and Early Oligocene. Profound changes were underway. Globally, carbon dioxide levels were falling and the hothouse warmth of the dinosaur age and Eocene Period was waning. In Antarctica, ice sheets had formed and covered much of the southern polar continent. But what exactly was happening on land, in northern latitudes?

Evolution Of A Contraceptive For Invasive Sea Lamprey
In addition to providing fundamental insights into the early evolution of the estrogen receptor, new research may lead to a contraceptive for female lampreys -- a jawless fish considered an invasive pest species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. This could prove important to the Great Lakes region, where lampreys aggressively consume trout, salmon, sturgeon and other game fish.

Ship Wastewater Discharges Cause Minor Though Not Insignificant Nutrient Input In The Baltic Sea
According to a new survey ship wastewater discharges have a minor impact on the state of the Baltic Sea. However, the impact is not insignificant as the nutrients entering the sea with unprocessed wastewater from ships accelerate algae growth. A much more prominent source of nitrogen is ship exhaust gases. The largest nutrient inputs into the Baltic Sea are caused by agriculture in the watershed and by municipal wastewater.

Wildlife Faces Cancer Threat
While cancer touches the lives of many humans, it is also a major threat to wild animal populations as well, according to a recent study. A new article compiles information on cancer in wildlife and suggests that cancer poses a conservation threat to certain species.

Large 2009 Gulf Of Mexico 'Dead Zone' Predicted
Aquatic ecologists say this year's Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" could be one of the largest on record, continuing a decades-long trend that threatens the health of a half-billion-dollar fishery.

Geographic Profiling Works: Great White Sharks' Hunting Skills As Refined As Jack The Ripper's
What do great white sharks have in common with serial killers? Refined hunting skills, according to a new article. Researchers have found that sharks hunt in a highly focused fashion, just like serial criminals.

Coral Reefs Face Increasing Difficulties Recovering From Storm Damage
As global warming whips up more powerful and frequent hurricanes and storms, the world's coral reefs face increased disruption to their ability to breed and recover from damage. "We have found clear evidence that coral recruitment -- the regrowth of young corals -- drops sharply in the wake of a major bleaching event or a hurricane," says the lead author of the study.

Banning Certain Fishing Gear Can Help Save Reefs From Climate Change
Banning or restricting the use of certain types of fishing gear could help the world's coral reefs and their fish populations survive the onslaughts of climate change, experts say.

Deadly Parasite Could Endanger Salmon And Trout Populations In U.K.
Stocks of the UK’s Atlantic salmon along with varieties of domestic brown trout could be under threat from a deadly parasite according to new research. The agent - Sphaerothecum destruens – was originally found in the US and is closely associated with ‘invasive’ fish species including topmouth gudgeon and could prove deadly to native salmonids (Atlantic salmon, brown trout).

[ScienceDaily Marine Biology News...]

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