What is Marine Biology?

Marine Biology Dr. Craig S. Kasper

Jaques Yves Cousteau, 1910-1997

What is Marine Biology? §Studying organisms that live in the sea (scientific).

Why study it? §Beauty, mystery, variety, fortune, glory?

§All may be true, but some reasons are also practical!

Introduction § Life may have origins in the sea. § Ilya Metchnikof (1900) discovered animal immune system in marine anemones.

Introduction § Seafood!

§ Medicine: alginates, vaccines, essential oils, proteins, etc. § The cure for cancer may very well lie within sharks or other marine life!

§ Raw materials: • • • • •

Iron Sulfer Oil Salt (more later) Etc.

It’s not ALL good! § Some marine life destroys, harms, or in other ways is detrimental to humans. However, the converse is also true…

Commercial Diver Repairing Damaged Structure

Portuguese Man-O-War

Who Can Be a Marine Biologist? § Anyone! § It’s really basic science applied to the sea, not the sea applied to science. § Nearly ALL disciplines are represented in Marine Science (Biology)

§ § § § § § § § § §

Archeaology Biology Botany Chemistry Geology Ichthyology Oceanography Physiology Physics Seismology

§ § § § § §

Medicine Welding Diving Research Education Recreation

The list goes on and on…

History of Marine Biology: § Since we discovered the ocean, we’ve been marine biologists! § Pacific Islanders—ocean subsistance §Greeks—Aristotle (described marine life)

More history… § A.D. 995

L. Eriksson discovered “Vinland” (N. America).

§ A.D. 1000 Arabs active in E. Africa, S. Asia, etc.

§ A.D. 1492 C. Columbus rediscovered New World.

More history… § A.D. 1519 F. Magellan circumnavigated globe (accurate maps!)

§ A.D. 1786 J. Cook first scientific observations (naturalist)

More history… § A.D. 1831 C. Darwin, known for “natural selection,” but also described how atolls are formed!

§ A.D. 1838 C. Wilkes Charted 1500 miles of coastline Collected 10,000 specimens (2000 new). First effort sponsored by U. S. gov’t!

Wilkes

§ A.D. 1840 Edward Forbes sea floor dredging (new organisms)

§

§ Led the way for Challenger Expedition…laid the foundation for modern marine science.

§ All this science led to the formation of some pretty cool stuff!!!

Woods Hole 1888.

§ Marine Labs boomed!

Woods Hole, Today

RV/Thomsas G. Thompson

Alvin

Aquarius Underwater Laboratory, Florida Keys

R/V FLIP (floating instrument platform)

“Cool pics Dr. K, but what’s this stuff REALLY about??”

§ Remember: It’s cool, but we’re still bound by science here! § The Scientific Method.

§ Deduction vs. Induction

Next time… Read Castro and Huber Chapter 2: The Sea Floor

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