Welcome to Marine Biology

Welcome to Marine Biology! Over the entirety of this website, you will learn a lot about the basics of Marine Biology, including careers, environmental impact, human interactions with sea-life, and what can we do to best protect it.

To set off on the right foot, what does marine Biology mean? Marine Biology is a very general term, covering many careers and pertaining to animals all across the world. When discussing marine biology, you want to think about the organisms that live in and interact heavily with a body of water. Most commonly, we think of fish and plants such as algae. Along with focusing on the organisms, Marine Biology delves into the chemical and environmental aspects around them. Some of these aspects may include pollution and manmade waste that would affect the environment of the organisms. It may also include the climate of the area, including how warm and cold the water may get during certain times of year and the normal food chain you should expect for the area. Through learning all of this, we have become more prepared to both help protect marine life as well as get what we need from it without harm. Continuing to learn and understand the biology of not just the oceans, but all bodies of water will help us to better protect the organisms that live in them.

While we do have a general understanding of aquatic creatures, we have done little to realize the legitimacy of the damage we can cause them. For example, the United States is home to 6 types of sea turtle, all of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, made in 1973. While we have been working to overcome the volatility of the sea turtle population, we have not acted enough to properly protect sea turtles. This is not just an issue with sea turtles however.

Invasive species play a large role in significant loss of biodiversity when they are placed in an environment with no natural predators and the ability to outcompete other animals in their niche. Below is a relevant video on this topic focusing on the Asian Carp and its threat to the great lake’s ecosystem and economy.

This video by Tom Scott helps to show how real a danger an invasive species can be when in the wrong environment. The Great lakes are an economic necessity for many people living around it. What it provides in plant and animal life as well as water is irreplaceable. One of the possible threats to this ecosystem is the Asian carp. Being a nonnative animal, it could overwhelm the ecosystem of the great lakes and cause significant damage to the environment and economic wellness of the area. Because of this threat, public officials have considered returning the flow of the Chicago River and closing canals to Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Currently there is an electrified waterway used as a safeguard to keep fish downstream, but a more permanent solution would be wise with the risk that the species possesses.

Tom Scott Electric River

Invasive species are not limited to just the Asian Carp. One such is the Lionfish. This animal is not only dangerous to humans, but it can significantly decrease local reef fish populations. With less reef fish, the local ecosystem can become destabilized and can impact the fishing or tourist economy wherever these fish can be found. There are many more examples than these two, but these are a good example of an issue that could snowball into a larger problem if not counteracted.

Invasive species are just one of many topics of interest in the marine life realm. There are many more items to view. Included on the rest of this website, we will go over a few other important items related to marine life and how we interact with them such as pollution, global warming, and conservation.