MARS%20294%20Introduction%20to%20Marine%20Biology

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MARS 294Introduction to Marine Biology

• Dr. Ron Kaufmann
• kaufmann_at_sandiego.edu
• rkaufmann_at_gmail.com
• Shiley Center 274 (x5904)
• Office Hrs Mo 130-300
• Th 230-430
• Fr 1230-200
• www.sandiego.edu/kaufmann/mars294/mars294.html

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• What is Marine Biology?
• Biology of organisms inhabiting the ocean
• Marine biologists study different things at
  different levels
• Molecules ? Ecosystems
• Related to oceanography, particularly biological
  oceanography
• Coastal vs. Open Ocean
• Shallow vs. Deep Water
• Perspective Organismal vs. Environmental
• Studying marine organisms requires understanding
  of
• Principles of evolution (esp. natural selection)
• Physical/chemical environment and interactions

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• Ecology
• Ecology from Greek Oikos (house)
• Interactions among groups of organisms and
  between organisms and physical environment
• Includes abiotic and biotic components
• Physical
• Chemical
• Biological
• Habitat Location where organisms live
• Unique combination of characteristics
• Microhabitat

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• Physical Environment
• Ocean 71 of earths surface area
• Largest volume of habitat on earth
• Average depth 3700 m
• Marine habitat differs from terrestrial habitat
  in important ways
• Three-dimensional

Terrestrial Marine
Air typically not a permanent habitat Entire ocean available as potential habitat
No real equivalent to aquatic plankton Many species planktonic, some holoplankton
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• Physical Environment
• Sunlight
• Quantity and quality related to physical
  characteristics of water
• Intensity decreases with depth
• Maximum penetration 1000 m
• Light penetration affects
• Photosynthesis
• Vision
• Behavior
• Spectral attenuation

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oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
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• Physical Environment
• Temperature
• Varies predictably with latitude, depth
• Consistent within a region and time period
• Exception intertidal areas

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Fig. 4-10
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• Physical Environment
• Temperature
• Varies predictably with latitude, depth
• Consistent within a region and time period
• Exception intertidal areas
• Affects thermoregulation
• Most marine organisms are ectotherms
• Some animals are endotherms
• Adaptations to retain heat
• Affects species distributions
• Polar
• Cold temperate
• Subtropical (warm temperate)
• Tropical

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