DID YOU KNOW THAT????

  • The ocean is where life first began more than 3.5 billion years ago.
  • 90% of the history of life on Earth has taken place in the ocean.
  • More plant and animal life is found in the oceans than on land.
  • Oceans produce more of the earth's oxygen than forests.
  • The oceans regulate global climate and constitute 95% of the "living space" on the planet.
  • Earth is a marine habitat!
But, the ocean is not a uniform habitat--an immense expanse of blue, salty water. Instead, it contains an amazing array of diverse, wondrous, and sometimes bizarre places that are increasingly threatened by human activities. In Marine Biology, students travel on a grand voyage through the major marine habitats -- the deep sea, the open ocean, kelp forests, seagrass beds, estuaries, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangrove forests. In each habitat, students meet the focal organisms--who they are, what they do, how they interact with one another and their habitats, and how they are relevant to us. Students also learn about large-scale physical (e.g., deep ocean conveyor system), chemical (e.g., oxidation- reduction reactions), and ecological processes (e.g., rates of photosynthesis) critical to ocean health. Human activities (e.g., introduction of exotic species) threatening marine organisms and habitats as well as remediation and restoration efforts are investigated.

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