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SCIENCE AND MARINE
BIOLOGY
Chapter Outline
IMPORTANCE OF THE OCEAN AND
MARINE ORGANISMS
STUDY OF THE SEA AND ITS
INHABITANTS
MARINE BIOLOGY: A HISTORY OF
Marine Biology in the 20th Century
Marine Biology Today
PROCESS OF SCIENCE
Scientific Method
Plant Growth in a Salt Marsh: A Case
Chapter Objectives
• Identify the services and resources provided by the ocean.
• Recognize the importance of understanding marine biology.
Key Terms
ocean productivity
oceanography
science
hypothesis
experimental set
control set
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Chapter Summary
1. The world’s oceans play an important role in everyday life because they affect
weather patterns and provide food and vital resources.
2. The science of oceanography is the study of the oceans and their phenomena. Marine
biology is the study of the organisms that inhabit the sea. A basic knowledge of
3. The science of marine biology has changed over the years as new technologies have
been developed. Human interest in the sea and its creatures can be traced back to the
4. Scientists use an orderly method of investigation known as the scientific method to
learn about the natural world. The scientific method begins with observations of
Chapter Outline
I. The Importance of the Oceans and Marine Organisms
A. 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
B. Ocean plays a significant role in the Earth’s climate.
C. Productivity: The amount of food produced (organic carbon) by marine organisms.
1. Oceans are very productive, owing to the large amount of surface area covered by
oceans.
II. The Study of the Sea and Its Inhabitants
A. Oceanography is the study of the oceans and their phenomena.
B. Marine biology is the study of sea organisms.
1. Physical and chemical parameters of marine ecosystems significantly impact the
C. Increased pressure on marine ecosystems.
1. Trash and hazardous waste disposal.
2. Climate change.
4. Oil drilling.
III. Marine Biology: A History of Changing Perspectives
A.Humans have always been interested in the sea.
1. Understanding has changed over time.
2. Simple observations led to more scientific investigations.
3. Technology has developed from simple shipbuilding to computers and robotics.
B. Early studies of marine organisms: ancient Greece and Rome.
C. Renewed interest in marine science: late 18th and early 19th centuries.
1. Lamarck and Cuvier.
2. Voyage of the HMS Beagle; Darwin and theories of natural selection and evolution.
3. Edward Forbes proposed that the ocean depths were devoid of life; disproved in 1858.
D. Modern marine sciences.
1. HMS Challenger expedition 1873–1876.
E. US marine studies.
1. Alexander Agassiz (1877).
2. Louis Agassiz founded the first marine biological laboratory in 1873.
3. Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory was founded in Cape Cod, Massachusetts,
in 1888. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute was founded in 1922.
F. Marine science in the 20th century.
1. Fridtjof Nansen (Norway).
2. Sir Alistair Hardy (England).
IV. Process of Science
A. Scientific method: orderly pattern of gathering and analyzing information used by
scientists to investigate the relationship(s) between variables to solve problems or
describe events in the natural world.
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G. Theory.
V. Plant Growth in a Salt Marsh: A Case Study of the Scientific Method
Suggestions for Presenting the Material
1. Marine science is an integrated science combining physics, chemistry, geology,
2. There is an excellent explanation of how ice-core data are used to estimate climatic
3. Try to find video clips whenever possible to catch interest and show students that
4. Have students identify experimental controls on an experiment. One example might
Classroom Discussion Ideas
1. Explain the scientific method. How important is the application of critical thinking
and creative thinking to the scientific enterprise?
2. Why is studying the world’s oceans and marine life important?
3. Define hypothesis and theory. How are these words commonly misused in everyday
conversation?
4. What were important historical events and who were important figures in the study
of marine biology?
Videos, Animations, and Websites
Videos
Ocean Adventures with Cousteau. (DVD, PBS, 2006)
The Blue Planet.
Well known for its stunning photography, this series also helps showcase the wide
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Planet Earth.
The epitome of natural history documentaries, the episodes “Shallow Seas” and “Ocean
HMS Challenger.
This short video profiles the importance of the HMS Challenger expedition.
Mission: Exploration.
This short video profiles the R/V Okeanos Explorer and the types of marine exploration
possible today.
Animations
The Scientific Method.
This Flash animation walks students through a tutorial and a virtual experiment to
Beagle Voyage.
This animation leads students through the voyage of the HMS Beagle as it and Charles
Websites
Marine Biological Laboratory.
This website offers opportunities for research and education in biology, biomedicine,
Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Scripps provides current news, education, and resources concerning marine science
Friday Harbor Laboratories.
Offers general information about the University of Washington’s research, and the San
California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
This site contains educational resources on oceanography and earth science.
Duke University Marine Laboratory.
Provides general information about one of the oldest marine laboratories in the United
States.
National Weather Service.
This marine page provides educational information and marine forecasts for the New
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The governmental organization providing weather forecasts, climate monitoring,
Ocean Fund.
As supporters of marine conservation organizations, the Ocean Fund provides grant
Woods Hole Ocean Conservancy.
A non-profit for almost 40 years, the Ocean Conservancy works to educate about current
marine issues and policies such as trash in the oceans, aquaculture, and restoration of
Suggested Answers to End of Chapter Questions
Multiple Choice
1. b. animal and plant adaptations
2. b. the organisms that inhabit the sea and their relationships to each other and their
Matching
a. 6
b. 1
c. 2
Short Answer
1. What was Louis Agassiz’s goal in founding the first marine laboratory in the United
States?
2. Explain the significance of the Challenger expedition.
The Challenger expedition was the first systematic scientific voyage to survey and
3. Describe how the focus of marine biology has changed from early times to the present
day.
The study of marine biology initially focused on the natural history of marine
4. Describe the kinds of research performed at marine biology laboratories today.
Current research includes the study of deep ocean environments using
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5. Compare inductive and deductive reasoning.
Inductive reasoning involves making observations and proposing a general
Thinking Critically
1. Apply the scientific process to a scenario of your own (real or imagined). Develop a
hypothesis to explain something you have observed, and design an experiment to test
your hypothesis. Try to relate the steps in your process to the generalized steps of the
Suggested InfoTrac® Articles
“Nereus Dives to the Ocean’s Deepest Trench: New Hybrid Deep-Sea Vehicle Descends
6.8 miles into the Challenger Deep.” Lippsett, L. and A.E. Nevala. Oceanus, (Dec 2009).