Biological oceanographers study organisms in the ocean, including their behavior, anatomy, and health. They may specialize in marine biology, microbiology, or molecular biology, and may work in a laboratory or in the field. They also examine the effects of human behavior and climate change on ocean life, and their work can have practical applications such as discovering medical treatments or developing sustainable fishing practices.
A biological oceanographer is a scientist who studies organisms that live in the oceans. These scientists’ jobs generally involve research, although the nature of the research varies considerably. The best-known group of these scientists, marine biologists, study the various species that live in the ocean. Other types of biological oceanographers may study the relationship between different populations of animals and plants, how these life forms are affected by the environment, and how they adapt to natural and man-made changes.
The various forms of life in the oceans include viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, plants and animals. Depending on the type of life studied, biological oceanographers may have backgrounds in marine biology, zoology, botany, microbiology, virology, or another specialized field. In the study of various forms of life, a biological oceanographer may examine the behavior, anatomy, or health of various populations.
Scientists who study microbiology or molecular biology in the oceans can study whole life forms or parts of them. They can examine the inner workings of cells, protein synthesis, or the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) of life forms. In many cases, these studies are focused on bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, although the cells of multicellular organisms can also be studied in isolation from the organisms themselves. A biological oceanographer who focuses on this aspect of oceanography usually works in a laboratory, although others may work in the field, collecting samples and tracking populations of microscopic organisms.
Another focus of study for a biological oceanographer is the biodiversity of the oceans. These scientists can examine how various populations interact with each other or how they are affected by changes in their environment. A biological oceanographer can examine the effects of pollution, temperature change and nutrient density on all forms of life in an ecosystem. Studying these things gives scientists a better understanding of how life in the ocean is affected by human behavior and climate change.
Although a biological oceanographer is often concerned with developing a greater understanding of the dynamics of life in the ocean, there are also practical applications for this type of work. Medical treatments can be discovered or developed from sea life forms. Other oceanographers can study populations of marine species that humans regularly consume so that sustainable fishing practices can be developed.
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