The Science of Marine Biology
Marine Biology
• Chapter 1 Outline
• The Science of Marine Biology
– The History of Marine Biology
• The Challenger Expedition
• The Growth of Marine Labs
• Marine Biology Today
• The Scientific Method
– Observation, the Currency of Science
– Two Ways of Thinking
• Induction
• Deduction
– Testing Ideas
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Constructing the Hypothesis
The Nature of Scientific Proof
Testing the Hypothesis
The Scientific Theory
Limitations of the Scientific Method
• Box Readings: Eyes (and Ears) in the Ocean
• John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts
• Eye on Science: Ocean Observing Systems
Chapter 1 Notes
Marine Biology
• Definition: is the scientific study of the plants,
animals, and other organisms that live in the
ocean.
• Practical Reasons to study marine biology.
– It’s a vast source of human wealth.
– Provides food, medicine, and raw materials.
– Provides a source of money from recreation and
tourism.
Chapter 1 Notes
The Science of Marine Biology:
• It is not a separate science but rather the more
general science of biology applied to the sea.
• Nearly all the disciplines of biology are
represented.
•Scientists work on areas of marine biology as
limited as a certain species of organism or as
broad as studying whole ocean systems.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• Humans have studied the ocean and its
inhabitants since they first saw the ocean.
• Even the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh bears a
warning against eating a species of puffer fish.
• New skills in seamanship and navigation led to
increased knowledge of the ocean and the
organisms that live there.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• Pacific Islanders had strange three dimensional
maps of the Pacific Ocean made of shells and
sticks.
• Phoenicians were the first accomplished Western
navigators. By 2000 B.C. they were sailing around
the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, eastern Atlantic
Ocean, and Indian Ocean.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (300’s
B.C.) is considered by many to be the first marine
biologist.
• He described many marine organisms.
• During the Dark Ages (500’s- late 1300’s) almost
all the exploration of the oceans came to a halt in
Western Europe.
• The Vikings and the Arabs continued to explore
the world outside of Europe.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• The Renaissance spurred many Europeans
to explore the world beyond Europe.
– 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed to the New
World.
– 1519 Ferdinand Magellan embarked on the
first expedition to sail around the world.
– many other explorers helped to open up the
unknown world to man.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• 1768: The first real scientific expedition began
with Captain James Cook’s exploration of the
oceans.
•He undertook 3 epic voyages to explore all of the
worlds oceans.
• He was one of the first to make scientific
observations along the way.
•He carried a full time naturalist along for the
voyage.
•He was the first to use a chronometer.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• In the 19th century it was common
practice to carry a naturalist with every
expedition to document the creatures and
phenomenon a ship encountered.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• Two ships and their voyages changed how
marine biology was practiced in the mid 19th
century.
–HMS Beagle
–HMS Challenger
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• HMS Beagle:
–Sailed in 1831 from England on a 5 year
expedition around the world.
–The ship’s naturalist was a man named Charles
Darwin.
–Darwin used what he observed on the voyage
to propose some radical new scientific theories.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
•Charles Darwin.
–He proposed the modern theory of evolution.
–He proposed a theory of atoll formation.
–It was not proven correct until the 1950’s.
–He used very fine nets to capture plankton.
–He wrote a scientific paper (treatise) on
barnacles that is still used today.
Chapter 1 Notes
The History of Marine Biology:
• The HMS Challenger Expedition:
–The Challenger Expedition claims the title of the
world's first totally scientific oceanographic expedition.
–The expedition's mission, to gather detailed and
consistent observations of oceanographic phenomena
across as much of the ocean as possible.
– the ship "stopped" and collected data and samples at
362 stations "at intervals as nearly uniform as possible".
–The deepest depth recorded by the Expedition was
located in the Marianas Trench, a place now known as
the Challenger Deep. At this location, the scientists
measured a depth of 26, 850 feet!
Eye on Science:
Ocean Observing Systems: pg 10
1. What is the limitation of satellites for observing
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
the oceans?
List five technologies used in Marine Biology.
How do scientists envision we will observe the
marine environment in the future?
Describe the H2O Observatory.
How long will it take for scientists to
implement the new systems for observing the
marine environment?
Evaluate the usefulness of these new systems.
Chapter 1 Notes
The Growth of Marine Labs:
• 1826: Two Frenchmen pioneer the
practice of observing sea life in the
controlled conditions of a lab, Henri Milne
Edwards, and Victor Andouin.
•The laboratory of the Marine Biological
Society of the UK was founded in 1879.
•The Marine Biological Lab at Woods Hole,
Mass. Was founded in 1888.
Chapter 1 Notes
Technology of Marine Biology:
• Sonar-sound navigation ranging was introduced after
World War II as an important tool of marine biology.
•Scuba-Invented in 1943 by Jacques Cousteau and Emile
Gagnan. It stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing
Apparatus. It is limited to shallow water.
• ROVs- Remotely Operated Vehicles. They have greatly
extended the depth at which humans can explore the
ocean.
•Satellites- allow us to track many different conditions
within the oceans. Salinity, temp, water clarity, algae
growth, and pollution.
The Scientific Method
Chapter 1
Marine Biology
Mr. Swift
Objectives
• Describe the Scientific Method.
• Explain the limitations of the Scientific
Method.
• Discuss the role of ethics in the field of
science.
Figure 1.21