the science of marine biology

1. The Science of Marine Biology The History of Marine Biology Marine Biology Today The Scientific Method Observation Two Ways of Thinking Testing Ideas Limitations of the Scientific Method

2. What is �Marine Science?� Marine Science � draws on research from all three of the traditional sciences to understand what is observed in the ocean. Marine science is truly an interdisciplinary course of study. Most marine scientists have training in all three of the traditional science disciplines. 1. Physical Science � study of matter and energy and their interactions. 2. Life Science � study of living things and their interactions with their environments. 3. Earth and Space Science � study of the physical Earth, the solar system, the universe and their interrelationships.

3. Why study marine biology? To make both full & wise use of the sea�s living resources To solve the problems marine organisms create To predict the effects of human activities on the life of the sea

4. The History of Marine Biology Began when man first saw the sea and realized it was full of good things to eat Coastal peoples in virtually every culture developed a store of practical knowledge about marine life This expanded as people gained skills in seamanship and navigation

5. The Early Mariners Ancient Pacific Islanders used 3-D maps of sticks and shells The Phoenicians were the first accomplished Western navigators (2000 B.C.) � left sight of land Greeks Aristotle (300 B.C.) was considered the first marine biologist�..gills Pytheas (314 B.C.) noted that he could predict tides in the Atlantic based on the phases of the moon. He could determine how far North or South one was from the North Star by measuring the angle between the horizon and the North Star. This was a significant improvement in navigation. Eratosthenes (264-194 B.C.) is credited with two contributions: 1. He calculated the Earth�s circumference. 2. He invented the first latitude/longitude system.

6. Latitude/Longitude System The purpose of the latitude and longitude mapping system is to identify specific locations on the Earth�s surface. Latitude Lines Also called parallels Run east-west 0� parallel is also called the equator Longitude Lines Also called meridians Prime Meridian is located on the longitude ofthe Royal Naval Observatory in Greenwich, England.

8. 995 A.D. the Vikings led by Leif Erikson discovered Vinland (N. Amer.) Arab traders were also discovering wind and current patterns Chinese The Chinese were very active explorers during the Middle Ages and were responsible for many important contributions. Probably the most important of their discoveries was the magnetic compass dating about 1000 A.D. and in widespread use about 1125. By the mid 1400s in China shipbuilding was well established. Chinese ships from that period had central rudders and watertight compartments � these are part of today�s modern ships. Middle Ages

9. Renaissance Age Driven by economics, politics and religion Christopher Columbus in 1492 � �rediscovered� the New World Ferdinand Magellan in 1519 � sailed around the world *he died on the way* Sir Francis Drake completed the second voyage around the world in 1577 Amerigo Vespucci � first to recognize South America as a new continent Maps of the oceans started to appear James Cook in 1768 Charles Darwin in 1831 Matthew Maury � �Father of Physical Oceanography�

10. What about James Cook? 1st to include a full-time naturalist among his crew to make scientific observations He explored all the oceans of the world 1st European to see the Antarctic ice fields and to land on many Pacific islands 1st to use the chronometer to help determine his position & make reliable charts He brought back specimens of plants & animals and tales of strange new lands

11. What about Charles Darwin? Sailed around the world on HMS Beagle Proposed an explanation for the formation of atolls (rings of coral reef) Used nets to capture the tiny drifting creatures known as plankton Wrote about barnacles, his specialty Best known for his modern theory of evolution

12. HMS Challenger 1st major oceanographic expedition Sailed around the world from 1872-1875 gathering information and samples Tremendous volume of data collected Took the first soundings deeper than 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) � 8,200 meters (26,900 feet) in the Marianas Trench. Captured biological samples in midwater and along the bottom with a towed device. Discovered marine organisms in the deepest parts of the ocean, contrary to popular belief at the time. Sampled and illustrated plankton in various habitats and depths not previously studied. Cataloged and identified 715 new genera and 4,717 new species. Set new standards for studying the oceans and laid the foundations of modern marine science

14. Challenger II The H.M.S. Challenger II Expedition � 1951 Mission to measure the depths of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Used eco-sounding technology for mapping. Challenger II�s most noted discovery wasfinding the deepest known part of the ocean. At 10,838 meters (35,558 feet) deep, this is still the deepest known place in the world. This spot, located in the Marianas Trench, was named Challenger Deep in honor of thefirst Challenger expedition.

15. Seashore studies Ships brought back dead, preserved specimens Scientists became curious about how the organisms actually lived Excursions to the shore limited the amount of equipment transported 1st permanent laboratory was the Stazione Zoologica in Naples, Italy in 1872 1st major American marine laboratory was the Marine Biological Lab. at Woods Hole, Massachusetts (approx. 1888)

17. The Industrial Revolution spearheaded the growth and expansion of marine sciences. This included: Better ships made of iron with steam engines. Improvements in research equipment. The advent of the submarine. What WWII did for marine biology: Sonar (sound navigation ranging) was developed in response to the growing importance of submarine warfare Based on the detection of underwater echoes Scripps Institute (California) and Woods Hole laboratories underwent tremendous growth

19. Submersibles and Self-Contained Diving Instead of grabbing samples blindly, a scientist could pick specific ones. Scientists could take delicate samples without damaging them and living organisms without killing them. Scientists can directly observe the geology, life, and other phenomena without taking any samples.

20. Submersibles Three types of submersibles used for underwater research: Bathysphere - operated only vertically. Bathyscaphe - operated much like a blimp air ship by releasing ballast and had a small electric motor to give it limited horizontal mobility. Deep-diving submersibles - state of the art today, far less fragile than bathyscaphes, easier to launch and use in rough seas. This makes them suitable for more varied types of research. Some even have robotic arms.

21. Scuba Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus Originally developed to allow automobiles to run on compressed natural gas After the war, Frenchmen Emile Gagnan and Jacques Cousteau modified the apparatus to use it to breathe compressed air under water 1st time marine organisms could be observed in their natural environment

23. Marine Biology Today Many universities & other institutions operate research vessels Use GPS, Satellite Tracking and LORAN-C navigation Many vessels are designed expressly to collect scientific research at sea Seagoing scientists now focus on specific questions v.s. long voyages to describe general patterns Highly developed submersible vessels reveal previously inaccessible worlds ROVs AUVs All 21 coastal states have marine labs Marine labs have become centers for education Technology has both improved and degraded our world

25. Our Ocean Planet Oceans produce two influences vital to life on Earth. Weather and world climate patterns dictate how warm, cold, wet, or dry it will be. This largely determines where humans live on land. In addition, the oceans provide three important marine resources: Food � Oxygen � Natural Resources (such as oil) Humans have seen all of the Earth�s surface, but there�s far more to discover below than on it. Humans increasingly change the oceans; pollution and overfishing have caused serious damage, coral reefs are dying off, and there�s more.

26. The Scientific Method All events in the universe can be explained by physical laws Scientists proceed according to time-tested procedures known as the scientific method

27. The goal of science is to discover facts about the natural world and the laws that explain these facts We learn about our outside world through our senses Uses procedures to learn about our world

28. Two ways of thinking: Induction � one starts with a number of separate observations and then arrives at a general principle Observe a sailfish, a shark and a tuna all have gills, since all 3 are fishes you might conclude that all fishes have gills Deduction � reason from general principles to specific conclusions If all marine animals have gills, and whales are marine animals, then whales must have gills.

29. Hypothesis Both inductive and deductive reasoning lead scientists to make statements that might be true (a hypothesis) and are testable All hypotheses are tested, and incorrect ones are quickly weeded out and discarded Must be stated in a way that allows them to be tested (ex. � �somewhere in the ocean there are mermaids� cannot be proven to be false)

30. Testing the Hypothesis Scientists spend most of their time trying to disprove, not prove, hypotheses When comparing 2 hypotheses, often by rejecting one it strengthens the other Usually simple observation is the best way to test a hypothesis

31. Experiments create situations to test hypotheses instead of relying on naturally occurring events Controlled experiments have only 1 variable, which changes during the course of the experiment Variables are factors that might affect observations

32. The Scientific Theory Theory is a hypothesis that has passed so many tests that it is generally regarded as true Like any hypothesis, it is still subject to rejection if enough evidence accumulates against it

34. Limitations of the scientific method: Scientists are people with human shortcomings No one can be completely objective all the time The insistence on direct observation and testable hypotheses does not allow for value judgments (ex � what is beautiful?)

36. The Progress of Science Because science is a process, it changes. Science progresses through the revision of theories in the light of new evidence or better explanations of existing evidence. Just because there is a new theory and new evidence it does not mean things change overnight. Scientific progress also has social and scientific influences. Often, it takes acceptance by prominent scientists with noted credibility before the new theory replaces the old.

37. Chapter 1 Vocabulary Terms Controlled experiment Deduction Experiment Hypothesis Induction Scientific method SCUBA Sonar Theory Variables

38. Vocabulary Terms - Chapter 1 Biological oceanography Chemical oceanography Concept map Deductive reasoning Geological oceanography Hypothesis Inductive reasoning Inquiry Marine science Oceanography Physical oceanography Physical science Social sciences Technology Theory

39. Vocabulary Terms � Chapter 2 Aqualung Bathyscaphe Bathysphere Caisson disease Chronometer Circumnavigation Decompression Echo-sounding Fauna Flora Global positioning system Heliox Hydrothermal vent Hyperbaric chamber Loran-C Meridian Navigation Open circuit scuba Oxygen rebreather Remotely operated vehicle Submersible