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Marine biology is the scientific discipline that explores the myriad of life forms inhabiting the sea, as well as airborne and terrestrial organisms that are directly dependent on saltwater bodies for food. At its broadest, marine biology endeavors to describe all vital phenomena associated with the countless living entities populating the vast oceans of our planet. This field comprises various specialized branches, including natural history, taxonomy, embryology, morphology, physiology, ecology, and geographical distribution. It shares a strong connection with oceanography, given the significant influence of the oceans' physical features on the organisms residing within them. It also contributes to marine geology through the study of organisms whose skeletal remains accumulate on ocean floors or who construct extensive coral reefs in tropical seas.
One of the primary goals of marine biology is to understand how oceanic phenomena influence the distribution of marine organisms. Researchers in this field examine how specific organisms adapt to the diverse chemical and physical properties of seawater, oceanic movements and currents, light availability at various depths, and the seafloor's solid surfaces. Special emphasis is placed on elucidating the dynamics of marine ecosystems, particularly food chains and predator-prey interactions. The distribution of fish and crustacean populations, critical for fisheries, is a significant area of marine biological research. Additionally, marine biology investigates how different forms of pollution, such as pesticide and fertilizer runoff, oil spills, and coastal construction silting, impact marine life.
The earliest research focus was primarily on the collection, description, and cataloging of marine organisms, leading to the development of methods for capturing and preserving specimens for study. Marine biologists adapted traditional dredges and trawls for collecting ocean floor specimens and used hoop nets for free-swimming animals. New instruments were created to collect water samples and measure temperature at various depths.
Later the focus was the systematic analysis of ecosystems of marine life with application leading oceanographers to studying economically important fishing grounds and localities. Their research integrated studies of marine flora and fauna, ocean currents, water temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels to understand the relationship between marine animals and their environment.
Advancements such as underwater cameras, improved diving equipment, and submersible craft have enabled direct observation of marine organisms in their natural habitats. Underwater video enables continuous visual monitoring of submerged areas, while self-contained diving equipment allows researchers to inspect marine life up close.
Morphological and taxonomic studies are typically conducted on preserved specimens in museums and universities, while physiological and embryological research requiring live material is usually carried out at coastal biological stations. These stations facilitate rapid specimen transfer to laboratories equipped with special seawater circulation systems.
Because we value the research that marine biologists conduct, we have gathered a sample of recent articles in peer-reviewed publications citing Thermo Fisher Scientific product brands, including Invitrogen, Applied Biosystems, Thermo Scientific and Gibco premier branded solutions for your reference.
Comparison of infectious agents detected from hatchery and wild juvenile Coho salmon in British Columbia, 2008-2018.
PLoS One. 2019 Sep 3;14(9):e0221956. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221956.
Nekouei O, Vanderstichel R, Kaukinen KH, Thakur K, Ming T, Patterson DA, Trudel M, Neville C, Miller KM.
Different strategies of energy storage in cultured and freshly isolated Symbiodinium sp.
J Phycol. 2015 Dec;51(6):1127-36. doi: 10.1111/jpy.12349.
Wang LH, Chen HK, Jhu CS, Cheng JO, Fang LS, Chen CS.
Characterizing Marine Medaka (Oryzias melastigma) Haploid Embryonic Stem Cells: A Valuable Tool for Marine Fish Genetic Research.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Sep 21;14(18):2739. doi: 10.3390/ani14182739.
Zhang W, Chen H, Liu W, Jia K, Yi M.
Establishment of a Coilia nasus Spermatogonial Stem Cell Line Capable of Spermatogenesis In Vitro
Biology (Basel). 2023 Aug 28;12(9):1175. doi: 10.3390/biology12091175.
Gu K, Zhang Y, Zhong Y, Kan Y, Jawad M, Gui L, Ren M, Xu G, Liu D, Li M.
18S rDNA gene metabarcoding of microeukaryotes and epi‐endophytes in the holobiome of seven species of large brown algae.
J Phycol. 2023 Oct;59(5):859-878. doi: 10.1111/jpy.13377.
Markussen Bjorbaekmo MF, Brodie J, Krabberød AK, Logares R, Fuss J, Fredriksen S, Wold-Dobbe A, Shalchian-Tabrizi K, Bass D.
Impact of rising seawater temperature on a phagocytic cell population during V. parahaemolyticus infection in the sea anemone E. pallida.
Front Immunol. 2023 Nov 22;14:1292410. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.
Billaud M, Larbret F, Czerucka D.
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