Transcript Intro to Marine Biology

Intro to
Marine
Biology
http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/enri/aset/images/sea-otter.jpg
http://www.sun-and-surf-scuba-diving.com/images/scuba-diver-001.jpg
nantucketwaterfrontnews.blogspot.com/2007/09/...
Marine Biology
• Study of all living
things in the ocean
• Involves chemistry,
earth science ,
physics and biology
Chemistry
• “It is well established among researchers that
the uptake of increased amounts of carbon
dioxide will make ocean water more acidic as
the gas dissolves to create carbonic acid. Ocean
chemistry is changing 100 times more rapidly
than in the 650,000 years that preceded the
modern industrial era and since the late 1980s,
researchers at Scripps Oceanography and
others have recorded an overall drop in the pH
Coral Reef Growth Potential…www.noaa.gov
of the oceans
from 8.16 to 8.05.”
University of California/San Diego. "Global Scientists Draw Attention To Threat Of Ocean Acidification." ScienceDaily 5 February 2009. 19 June 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2009/02/090201124553.htm>.
Biology
• “For the first time in waters surrounding New
York City, the beckoning calls of endangered fin,
humpback and North Atlantic right whales have
been recorded, according to experts…’This is an
exciting time for New Yorkers. Just think, just
miles from the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State
Building, Carnegie Hall and Times Square, the
great whales are singing,’ says Chris Clark, …
‘These are some of the largest and rarest
animals on this planet trying to make a living just
a few miles from New York's shores. It just goes
to show us that there are many important and
wonderful discoveries to be made about the
living world
http:// right here, right in our back yards.’"
animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/right-whale.jpg
Cornell University. "Whale Songs Are Heard For First Time Around New York City Waters." ScienceDaily 17 September 2008. 19 June 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2008/09/080916143906.htm>.
Physics
• “The Greenland Ice Sheet mass balance is
changing as a response to the altered
climatic state,” said Mernild. “This is faster
than expected. This affects freshwater
runoff input to the North Atlantic Ocean,
and plays an important role in determining
the global sea level rise and global ocean
thermohaline circulation.”
This text derived from:
http://www.alaska.edu/ipy/press/stories/mernild.xml
http://blogs.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/worldcup/jellyfish.jpg
http://www.grumpyoldsod.com/cow.jpg
http://ntis04.hgac.cog.tx.us/website/photolab/photos/energy/oil-rig.jpg
Sources of wealth
• Source of food
–16% of all animal protein
consumed worldwide
–We are catching fish
faster than they can
reproduce
–60-70% of fish types
are in danger
http://www.sflorg.com/ear/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/imear102908-01-01.jpg
Sources of wealth
• Source of medicine
–Vitamin A and D from
cod liver oil
–antibiotics from
algae
–heart rate controllers
from some fish
venom, etc.)
http://www.practicaltruisms.com/Images/Taceva%20Page%20Images/CodLiver
Sources of wealth
• raw materials
–Oil, natural gas, minerals
• recreation and tourism
• animal models for research
–Squid…..nervous system
–Horseshoe crabs…..sight
–Sea urchins….reproduction
Harmful effects of marine
organisms
• competition for resources
– Fishing, territory
• some cause disease
– Harmful algae blooms
http://marine.usgs.gov/fact-sheets/michigan/sonar.gif
• interference with weapons and
technology
– Sonar linked to marine mammal stranding
www.sciencepunk.com/v5/gallery/snappingshrimp.jpg
•
•
http://scienceblogs.com/shiftingbaselines/2007/06/national_fisheries_institute_r.php
http://www.greatdreams.com/eeyore/whalesdolphins.jpg
http://www.thistasmania.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/whales-king-island.jpg
Determining the nature of our planet
• More than half of our oxygen comes from
the ocean
• Creating new landforms
– beaches, islands, coastlines
• 20 trillion dollars worth of resources come
from the oceans
wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb
http://coastalchange.ucsd.edu/st3_basics/beaches.html
Determining the nature of our planet
• Aug-Oct 2006