The Ocean

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The ocean covers 71% (and rising) of this small planet and is home to most of the globe's biomass, or living matter, and biodiversity. We know that from bacteria to plankton to the blue whale, life in the ocean greatly affects life on land, yet we know very little about the ocean. At least 80% is yet to be explored.

This section of MarineBio explores some of what is known about the ocean and provides an online introduction to marine biology and ocean science. Here we begin the journey into this planet's largest living space—The Ocean.

Marine Science

The ocean is studied by separating it into different, though interrelated, scientific disciplines. To fully understand life in the sea we must consider the big picture: marine life and its interaction with its environment, as well as other life, including humans. The following sections will provide you with an overview of Marine Biology in terms of the physical, chemical, and biological marine environment. For a more thorough understanding of the following, we also recommend any of the outstanding Marine Biology textbooks we have listed on our book shop.


M A R I N E L I F E	O C E A N S C I E N C E
The Creatures Learn about all creatures of the ocean from nanoplankton to blue whales.	Ocean History The processes that have molded the ocean basins over billions of years.
Marine Taxonomy Classification of species into evolutionary relationships. Kingdoms, Phyla, Classes, Orders, Families.	Ocean Chemistry Ocean life is largely made up of the same chemicals that comprise the ocean.
Forests of the Sea Phytoplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, algae, sea grasses, and kelp... the flora of the ocean.	Light & Color Sunlight in the sea and its interaction with ocean waters is a very important physical phenomenon...
Coral Reefs Shelter, recreation, medicines, sand... the work of millions of years by millions of coral polyps.	Ocean & Temperature Ocean temperatures play vital roles in regulating our planet's climate and bringing nutrients to marine life.
Zooplankton Billions of tiny animals found throughout the ocean. A key component of marine ecosystems.	Sounds of the Sea Sound travel underwater—the acoustics of the ocean. Can you hear me? Good...
Marine Invertebrates These spineless animals include sponges, cnidarians, worms, mollusks, arthropods and echinoderms.	Currents & Tides The effects and causes of the continuous flow of ocean water and its surface which is always rising and falling.
Marine Vertebrates The backbone of the ocean. From polar bears to the 27,000 species of fishes and counting...	Ocean Geography Five "oceans" - Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern - covering ~71% of the Earth's surface...
Structures & Adaptations to Marine Living Fins, scales, flashing lights...	Geological Marine Tectonic plates to the lives of creatures that exist in the most extreme environments.
Grazers & Predators We're familiar with grazers and predators on land, how do they behave in the sea?	Marine Zones Beaches, intertidal, epipelagic, pelagic, and benthic zones... ecosystems for every imaginable creature.
Marine Life Cycles Fission, budding, eggs that hatch internally, eggs that hatch externally, live births, plankton...	Estuaries, Salt Marshes & Mangroves Vital ecosystems and nursing grounds for marine life.
Symbionts, Parasites, Hosts & Cooperation Every form of interaction between species.	Continental Shelves Where most marine life lives and almost all fishing takes place...
Marine Ecology Marine life habitats, populations and interactions among organisms and their environment.	The Open Ocean Everything outside of coastal areas... the wild blue yonder...
Biotic Structure The way organisms interact within an ecosystem. Food webs vs food chains, tropic levels, Symbiosis, Predators...	Arctic & Antarctic Places of abundant life, lots of ice and the coldest places on Planet Ocean.
Ecological Regulation Complex webs of factors that fit together to form balanced life systems capable of withstanding most changes.	The Deep Sea The cold, dark, deep that makes up 80% of the ocean living space.