Biological oceanography studies all life in the ocean and their interactions with the environment. It aims to understand population interaction, food webs, and the effects of temperature, chemical and geological changes on marine life. The study is conducted in laboratories and through submersible research vessels. It focuses on issues such as population interaction, conservation, and understanding ocean climate change. Oceanographers are key players in developing environmental policies aimed at conserving ocean life.
Biological oceanography is the study of all life in the ocean. Distinct from marine biology, which focuses on the biology of specific marine creatures, biological oceanography seeks to understand the interactions between all levels of life in the ocean and their environment. This relatively new scientific discipline has become increasingly important in the 21st century as biologists and other scientific experts seek to understand the changes occurring in the ocean that are affecting life forms ranging from microscopic bacteria to the great blue whale. .
Understanding the ecology of the ocean is the main goal of biological oceanography. Some of the common areas of the field include understanding how populations of different species interact with each other, how food webs are formed, and the effect of temperature, chemical and geological changes on marine life. While some studies may focus on a particular species or marine organism, oceanographers often take a broader viewpoint, seeking to understand how a phenomenon or species being studied affects the marine environment as a whole. This broad point of view often requires the integration of many different scientific areas, such as chemistry, geology and even physics.
While some biological oceanography is conducted through studies at sea, much of the work in this broad discipline is also done in laboratories. The study of microscopic organisms, for example, is often done in a laboratory setting, as it is nearly impossible to examine these creatures in their native environment. In an oceanic environment, biological oceanography often involves the use of submersible research vessels, including submarines, sonar equipment, and waterproof cameras, in order to observe and study the wide range of invisible ecology from above the surface. Not surprisingly, a subdiscipline of oceanography is the engineering and improvement of equipment for use in biological studies.
In the 20th century, a lot of effort went into simply understanding what exactly was lurking under the opaque waters of the sea. Now that the depths are somewhat better understood, 21st century biological oceanography tends to focus on issues such as population interaction, conservation, and understanding ocean climate change. The relationship of the oceans to global warming is a primary source of study for oceanographers. Many oceanographers study how the ocean absorbs and handles critical elements such as carbon and nitrogen, to try to understand how marine ecology may change as pollution increases.
The study of biological oceanography is essential to understanding how life works beneath the waves. In addition to research on the effects of climate change and marine acidification, oceanographers are often key players in developing environmental policies aimed at conserving ocean life. In order to secure the future of their discipline, as well as the future of marine ecology, oceanographers play an important role in conservation research and action.
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