The Science of Marine Biology

Ch. 1

US and World Populaion Clock

Lets check it every 10 minutes

Objectives

1. Understand the brief history of marine biology

2. Review the scientific method

3. Induction vs. deduction

What is biology?

The study of life

BotanyZoology Microbiology

What is marine biology?

Marine Biology: the science of biology applied to the sea

What is marine science?• Biological oceanography:

– Study of the biology, geography, and chemistry of the ocean

Timeline

Lets look at a student’s timeline from a couple

years ago.

What do YOU know about the ocean?

• Think about it for a minute and write a few things down. Be prepared to share . . .

• What do you want to know?

It began with a clam bake?

• People started learning about the sea since the first time they saw the ocean

• Stone age:– clambakes about 3 million years

ago

• Polynesians– Around 4000 B.C.– Navigation, fishing, trading– Hawaii, 500 AD– NZ, 1000 AD

Where is Polynesia?

Phoenicians

• 2000 B.C. Phoenicians– Mediterranean coast

– Extensive trade and navy

Aristotle: the first marine biologist

• Greek philosopher• 384-327 B.C• Described many forms

of sea life• Recognized gills as

breathing apparatus of fish

Darwin and Forbes• HMS Beagle sailed

around the world in 1831– Map coastlines; atolls;

barnacles; other sea life

• Forbes (1815-1854)– focused on sea floor

– Azoic theory: life limited to depth--no life past 1800 ft.

– disproved

The Challenger Expedition• 1872-1876• First oceanographic expedition to circumnavigate the world• Thousands of specimens• 19 years to publish results, 50 volumes thick• Laid the foundation for modern marine science

Permanent laboratories• Stazione Zoologica

– Naples, Italy, 1872 -- first marine lab in the world

• Marine Biological Laboratory– Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 1888 – first marine lab in the U.S.

• Scientists now able to work from shore

SONAR• WW II (late 1930’s) --> submarine warfare --> SONAR

• SONAR:– SOund NAvigation Ranging

• Ship emits loud sounds (pinging) and times how long it takes to return. This determines depth.

Sidescan SONAR

• Sound energy continuously transmitted from towfish in the shape of a fan that sweeps sea floor

• Records picture of ocean bottom

SCUBA• SCUBA

– Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

• Allow us to observe marine organisms in their environment

Modern Marine Science• Alvin

– Brings us to the depths… (4000 m)

• Shinkai 6500 (Japanese)– Can work down to 6500 meters!!!

• Remote sensing– Using computers and satellites to

track SST, currents, organisms, etc.

• FLIP (FLoating Instrument Platform)

• Wave models for when I surf!

Scientific Method: Quick Review• Scientific conclusions

MUST be based on observations

• What’s a hypothesis?– A statement that might be

true– It can be tested– No hypothesis can be

absolutely proved true

• What is a theory?– A hypothesis that has been

accepted as “true” for the time being b/c it has passed test after test with a large body of supporting evidence

– It can be overturned by new evidence . . .

Observation is the key• As we observe more and

more about the ocean we seek to explain our observations

• The water is red. Why? What makes it red? How will it affect marine life? How will it affect humans?

• Without observation, science would cease to exist . . .

Induction vs. Deduction• Induction:

– Separate observations (small/specific) arrive at general conclusions (big/general)

– Scientific method: observe--> hypothesis-->

experiment--> theory

• Deduction: – General principals (big/general) specific conclusions

(small/specific)

– Begin with theory --> experiments and observations to test theory

• Example with gravity

Human Population and the Ocean• Pass out human population statistics• What do you notice?• Make a graph• What do you notice about the curve? What’s this called?

How will this affect the ocean?

Exponential Growth• Death rates continuing to decline. Why?

– Improvements in nutrition, sanitation, and health care

• During 1650 to 1800 pop doubled to 1bil.• By 1930, doubled again to 2 bil.• Doubling to 4 bil took less than 50 years!• What type of curve? Why?• Constant rate of growth.

$$

• Find a partner• Would you rather receive $1,000.00 per day

for a month OR start with $0.01 and double your money each day for a month (30 days)

• Find the total• $30,000.00• 5,905,609,000 cents or $59,056,090.00!!• This is exponential growth

Dead Zones due to humans?

• NPR interview on dead zones

Are we still in the age of discovery and exploration?

• What is your opinion?• Assignment is two fold:

1. Do some research and write a one paragraph answer to this question. Provide at least two sources to support your opinion.

2. Second paragraph describes your own personal history with the ocean as well as the future. What does the ocean mean to you? How do you relate to it?

• Be prepared to share this with the class