marine biology topics for a research paper

• Ocean Topics Topics: 92
• Pollution Research Topics Topics: 234
• Deforestation Paper Topics Topics: 60
• Water Pollution Research Topics Topics: 54
• Climate Change Essay Topics Topics: 314
• Climate Essay Topics Topics: 260
• Global Warming Paper Topics Topics: 184
• Air Pollution Essay Topics Topics: 119
• Recycling Topics Topics: 123
• Biodiversity Paper Topics Topics: 58
• Environment Research Topics Topics: 490
• Earthquake Essay Topics Topics: 107
• Ecosystem Essay Topics Topics: 71
• Dump Research Topics Topics: 47
• Solar Energy Paper Topics Topics: 55

124 Marine Life Biology Topics

Want to explore marine life? The captivating world of oceans and seas is full of marine biology research questions. Here, find marine biology topics about an array of species and habitats, the balance of Earth’s environment, and invaluable resources to humanity. Get inspired by marine ecosystems and the challenges they face due to human activities. Let’s dive in!

🌊 TOP 7 Marine Biology Topics

🏆 best marine biology research questions, 🎓 interesting marine biology topics, 👍 catchy marine biology research topics, 💡 simple marine biology topics, ❓ more marine biology research questions.

• Rising Sea Levels: History, Causes and Effects
• North Sea and Baltic Sea Meeting Phenomenon
• Resolute Marine Energy: Power in Waves
• The Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Agents on Marine Mammals
• Marine Transport System Efficiency Increasing
• Chilean Sea Bass on the Menu and Its Impact on the Environment
• Impact of Human Activities on Marine Ecosystems
• Description of the Pacific Ocean The paper states that the Pacific Ocean is tranquil, yet it forms one of the world’s largest homes and assists in regulating the global climate.
• Cyclone Asani in the North Indian Ocean Area Asani is the first cyclone to develop in the North Indian Ocean area of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea in 2022.
• Floating Cities and Rising Sea Levels Global warming is an immense challenge in today’s society. The results of such an issue are the rising sea levels that make many communities flee their homes.
• Marine Pollution: Causes and Consequences Changes in marine and ocean conditions can directly affect the global climate because of their close connection to the planet’s energy fluxes and biogeochemical cycles.
• History of Sea Navigation This paper includes a brief description of major milestones in the history of navigation starting from ancient times up to modern days.
• The Problem of Ocean Pollution Today One of the main causes of the oceans being polluted is trash that includes various manufactured products like plastic bottles, shopping bags, food wrappers, and cigarettes.
• Marine Environmental High Risk Areas Definition Marine Environmental High risk Areas was first used by Lord Donaldson in Report titled Safe Ships, Clean Seas.He defined these areas as locations with high environmental sensitivity.
• Ocean Research vs. Outer Space Exploration Both the study of the outer space and the research of the processes that take place on Earth, particularly, in the ocean, are crucial for facilitating the safety of the humankind.
• Rising Sea Levels: Solutions to Global Concern Global changes in climate have had tangible effects on numerous habitats and their biota. An increase in sea levels is one of the most infamous outcomes of global warming.
• The WWF’s Environmental Advertisement on Marine and Ocean Pollution Visual image can also make a convincing point, and this is particularly applicable to social and environmental advertising.
• Teleological Insight Into Army of Sea Urchins The teleological argumentative construct focuses on the relationship between the design and the creator akin to the apt performance across the sea’s natural environment.
• Trans-ocean Transportation: Environmental Study The ocean has always been an inseparable part of human existence. It serves as a source of food and a transportation network, linking all continents.
• Earth Science: The Deep Sea This article discusses the importance of the marine environment to life on the planet and the need to study the impact of deep-sea mining on the marine environment.
• Sea Dumping: Legal and Ethical Issues The paper explores legal and ethical issues regarding the sea dumping and examines the approaches used by cruise lines to increase the social responsibility.
• Sea Level Rise: Major Causes and Effects This paper includes a brief description of the major causes and effects of sea level rise, as well as measures people undertake to address the issue.
• Protection of Marine Environment Under International Law: Treaties and International Legal Instruments Laws touching on the protection of the marine environment have evolved. The evolution is made evident in this paper by analyzing the various international legal instruments.
• Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea: Captain Nemo’s Changes Captain Nemo is a sea researcher, inventor, and owner of the “Nautilus” submarine. This character is the embodiment of a true hero, courageous, decisive, and fair.
• Marine Pollution in Australia This paper will set out to engage in a detailed discussion about marine pollution in Australia. It will begin by highlighting the major sources of marine pollution.
• The Raising of Sea Levels in Lithuania This study will explore climate change in Lithuania, providing ways in which a global citizen can help and the role of NGOs in elevating the issue.
• Marine Organisms an Adaptations The important aspects of marine biology is the study of how marine organisms exhibit a variety of physiological adaptation that makes them suitable for the marine environment.
• Environmental Issues: Plastics in the Ocean The circular economy encourages recycling and reuse and this approach could be used effectively to mitigate the problem of plastic marine pollution in the long term.
• Marine Sediments Types: Lithogenous, Biogenous, Hydrogenous, and Cosmogenous Sediments Modern science determines four basic types of sediments. These are lithogenous, biogenous, hydrogenous, and cosmogenous. They all have unique characteristics that determine their structure.
• Fiji’s Integrated Ocean Policy for Sustainable Blue Economy Examine Fiji’s approach to a sustainable blue economy through an integrated ocean policy, addressing challenges like overfishing and pollution.
• Aquaculture: Second Chance for Marine Life
• How the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Affected Marine Life in the Surrounding Waters
• Marine Pollution and Its Effect on Marine Life
• Not Finding Nemo: How Climate Change Affects Marine Life
• Environmental Degradation: Primitive Organisms vs Modern Day Marine Life
• Marine Life and Its Systematic Evolution
• Human Impact Upon the Environment: Ocean Pollution and Marine Life
• Marine Life, Ocean Pollution, and Other Human Environmental Impacts
• How You Can Help Protect Marine Life While Diving
• Global Marine Life Affected by the Constant Rise of Water Temperature Due to Global Warming
• 10 Easy Ways to Help Protect Marine Life
• How the Plate Tectonics Theory Help Explains the Existence of Fossilized Marine Life in Rocks Atop the Ural Mountains
• Global Warming and Climate Change: Melting the Marine Life
• Understanding the Detrimental Effects of Harmful Algae in the Scientific Study of Marine Life
• The Alarming Danger Facing the Marine Life
• Humans’ Impact on Marine Life and What We Can Do to Stop Environmental Cataclysmic Effect
• How Water Pollution Affects Marine Life
• Marine Life: Environments and Marine Animals in the Deep Sea
• The Coral Reef Ecosystem: Marine Life and Surviving Underwater
• Mass Extinction, Human Impact, and Effects on Marine Life
• How Human Beings Have Destroyed Marine Life
• Marine Habitats: Coral Reef Ecosystem The coral reefs’ biodiversity presents a specific interest as one of the most stressed world’s ecosystems with an intricate relationship.
• Plastic Crises in the Ocean and Effects on Marine Ecosystems The accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans causes physical damage to marine species and habitats, leading to the spread of invasive species and diseases.
• Impact of Human Behavior on Ocean and Ocean Acidification The paper states that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has been increasing over the years due to human behavior and actions.
• The Ocean Clean Up Company’s Trial in Guatemala Ocean Clean Up has done an excellent job of creating the first scalable solution to efficiently intercept plastic in rivers before it reaches the oceans.
• The Aral Sea Shrinking Process The Aral Sea is located in Central Asia, and it is a form of a large endorheic lake. The issue surrounding the given body of water is that it has been shrinking since the 1960s.
• The Importance of Marine Spatial Planning The paper states that improvements in marine spatial planning (MSP) can positively impact the economy, society, and the environment.
• The Climate Change Impact on Sea Levels and Coastal Zones This paper summarizes the effects of climate change on seawater levels and subsequent effects on the coastal zones.
• Dangers of Microplastics to Marine Ecosystems To reduce aquatic pollution and its impact, people should keep the environment clean by disposing wisely of the plastics they use.
• How El Niño Affects Ocean Circulation and How Climate Is Impacted Climate change research has progressed to the point that paleoclimatic data may now provide trustworthy information on the responses of the climate system.
• Impact of Marine Plastic Debris on Environment The prevalence of marine pollution by plastics makes the ecosystem dangerous for ocean creatures and human beings.
• Papahanaumokuakea Plastic Sea Pollution This paper discusses the article devoted to the plastic sea pollution affecting Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monuments.
• Marine Resource Economics: Value Addition on Tuna Fish By-Products There is a very huge potential for value addition to by-products of Tuna fish around the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean which is untapped.
• The Consequences of the Ocean Acidification The paper aims to explore the phenomena of ocean acidification and define human-caused threats to the health of the world ocean and the corresponding consequences.
• Whirlpool in the Sea off the Coast of Scotland Near Ayrshire Due to Waste Water Stunning drone images near Lendalfoot in South Ayrshire captured a glimpse of a mammoth whirlpool off the Scottish west coast.
• The Turtle-Headed Sea Snake’s Habitation Areas The paper aims to know the exact areas that turtle-headed sea snakes inhabit and quantify the number of such species within that vicinity.
• Modelling in the Marine Environment With climate change rendering hurricanes more deadly, it is essential to gain a more in-depth understanding of such phenomenon as storm surge.
• Marine Protected Areas: Sustain of the Marine Ecosystem The current research is expected to address the problem of overfishing and prove that MPAs help to sustain biodiversity.
• Analysis of Sea Lampreys Problem Sea lampreys reduce the fish population, which affects the livelihoods of people. They negatively influence economic activities such as tourism and fishing in lakes.
• Plastic Contamination and Marine Ecosystem Safety Every year humanity creates innovative technologies, some of which have the potential to change the order of life fundamentally.
• West Indian Ocean Coelacanth (Latimeria Chalumnae) Latimeria Chalumnae is an exception – a living fossil and a fish that is closer to tetrapods, including humans, rather than to the ray-finned fish, from an evolutionary standpoint.
• Marine Biology: Description and the Key Features Marine Biology is an open area of the coast line that is exposed to ocean currents and tides. This is a backwater area with occasional flooding of sea water.
• Law of the Sea Treaty: The Use of the World’s Seas The purpose of the treaty was to come up with a comprehensive rules governing the oceans and replacing the previous conventions of 1958 and that of 1961.
• Geologic Time and the World Ocean: Diving a Bit Deeper Studying the history of the Earth’s climate means analyzing the archaeological traces that the previous eras have left; and nowhere is the search for these traces is as efficient as it is in the ocean.
• Saudi Marine Construction Projects and Risks The Saudi Arabian marine construction works revolve around the establishment of ports and harbors. The ports must be constructed to facilitate tourist arrival.
• Marine Pollution: 21st Century Reality and Technological Threats A range of technological advances and solutions for economic issues pose a tangible threat to environment, and oceans are by far the most vulnerable element of the latter.
• Jewish Community During and Before Christ: Insights from Dead Sea Scrolls William Albright, who is one of the popular archaeologists claimed that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was one of the chief breakthroughs in the 20th century.
• International Marine Pollution Law International Marine law is essential in governing the natural resources from illegal acts of pollution that poses dangers to marine life and the life depending on the waters of oceans or seas.
• How Plastic Pollution Can Impact Both Marine Life and Human Health
• Marine Life Can Bounce Back by 2050 — But Only if We Act Now
• Lebanon Oil Spill Threatens Bird and Marine Life
• How Will Marine Life Adapt to Warmer Oceans?
• Creating Communal Value Through Marine Life Protection
• Chasing the Future: How Will Ocean Change Affect Marine Life?
• Factors That Threaten Marine Life and Solutions to It
• The Structuring Role of Marine Life in Open Ocean Habitat
• Maintaining and Protecting Marine Life
• Pollution: Marine Life’s Number One Enemy Spreads Its Negative Effects on the Oceans
• Marine Life Encounters: Whale Sharks of Isla Mujeres
• How You Can Protect the Ocean and Help Save Marine Life From Home
• Global Warming Hits Marine Life Hardest
• Protecting Marine Life: 7 Reasons Why We Need to Act Now
• Marine Life Is Fleeing the Equator to Cooler Waters: History Tells Us This Could Trigger a Mass Extinction Event
• The Issue of Plastic Harming the Marine Life
• Ocean and Marine Life Protection Acts and Treaties
• Marine Life Is Facing Threats Never Seen Before: The Menace of Overfishing
• Six Ocean-Friendly Habits to Help Protect Marine Life
• The Protection of Marine Life and Its Legal Aspects
• What Are the Threats That Marine Life Is Facing?
• How Can You Protect the Ocean and Help Save Marine Life From Home?
• What Marine Life Is Most Affected by Pollution?
• How Much Marine Life Is Killed by Plastic?
• What Is the Biggest Cause of Marine Life Death?
• How Can We Save and Protect Marine Life?
• What Is Marine Life Conservation?
• Can We Survive Without Marine Life?
• How Is Climate Change Affecting Marine Life in the Arctic?
• What Is Marine Biology and Why Is It Important?
• Will Marine Life Face Mass Extinction if Oceans Continue to Warm?
• Is Marine Biology a Part of Environmental Science?
• What Is the Biggest Threat to Marine Life?
• How Does Marine Biology Affect the Environment?
• What Caused the Extinction of Marine Life?
• How Has Marine Biology Helped the World?
• Why Is Marine Life Important to the Environment?
• How Can Studying Marine Biology Help to Conserve Marine Diversity?
• What Is the Greatest Contribution of Marine Biology?
• Is Marine Biology Important to Humans?
• What Types of Pollution Affect Marine Life?
• How Does Marine Biology Affect Society?
• What Is the Role of Ethics in Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology?
• How Does Marine Biology Help the Environment?
• What Are the Benefits of Marine Biology?

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These essay examples and topics on Marine Life were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters

Seasonal variations of vitamins A, E and carotenoids in eelpout ( Zoarces viviparus ) from a Danish fjord, in relation to reproductive cycle

• Zhanna M. Tairova
• Jakob Strand

Coral reef community recovery trajectories vary by depth following a moderate heat stress event at Swains Island, American Samoa

• Courtney S. Couch
• Brittany Huntington
• Andrew A. Shantz

Avoidance and attraction responses of kittiwakes to three offshore wind farms in the North Sea

• Christopher J. Pollock
• Daniel T. Johnston
• Aonghais S. C. P. Cook

Aquiferous system, filtration rates and hydrodynamics of the syconoid calcareous sponge Urna sp.

• Josephine Goldstein
• Nicklas Bisbo
• Hans Ulrik Riisgård

The contribution of fish to the diet of loggerhead sea turtles in the western Mediterranean revisited

• Luis Cardona
• F. Javier Aznar
• Jesús Tomás

Ecological niche use varies with sea turtle reproductive age

• Alexandra L. Fireman
• Seth P. Stapleton
• Ryan J. Woodland

Partial migration pays off in black-faced cormorants: insights from post-breeding GPS tracking

• Thomas Cansse
• John P.Y. Arnould

High variability in the migratory behaviour of a tropical seabird

• Edna Correia
• José Pedro Granadeiro
• Teresa Catry

Successful large-scale and long-term kelp forest restoration by culling sea urchins with quicklime and supported by crab predation

• Hartvig Christie
• Frithjof E Moy
• Hans K Strand

Activity patterns of Octopus tetricus (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) and their behavioural responses to fisheries trap and bait combinations

• Adam A. Vrandich
• Brendan P. Kelaher
• Karina C. Hall

The potential influence of photoperiod and temperature on the male reproductive physiology of the narrownose smooth hound shark, Mustelus schmitti

• Walter L. Paez
• Gustavo M. Somoza
• Mariano Elisio

The end of silent predators: First cases of active sound production in batoids from the Mediterranean Sea and its potential implications

• Álvaro Almagro
• Claudio Barría

Ups and downs: copepods reverse the near-body flow to cruise in the water column

• Nils B. Tack
• Sara Oliveira Santos
• Monica M. Wilhelmus

Ontogeny of predatory capacity and prey choice during early life of the holobenthic octopus Amphioctopus fangsiao (d’Orbigny, 1841): switching prey-choice strategy

• Shigeki Dan
• Katsuyuki Hamasaki

Ecophysiological responses of Fucus virsoides (Phaeophyceae, Fucales) to past and present nutrient conditions in the northern Adriatic

• Emmanuelle Descourvières
• Martina Mulas
• Annalisa Falace

Radiative energy budgets of migrational microphytobenthic biofilms

The influence of small seaweed-mussel associations upon local-scale biodiversity at a Marine Protected Area in Atlantic Canada

• Emily G. Gibbons
• Paula Tummon Flynn
• Pedro A. Quijόn

Population genetics of the ribbon worm Lineus sanguineus (Heteronemertea: Lineidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic

• Dione O. Jordan
• Cecili B. Mendes
• Sónia C. S. Andrade

Cultivable bacterial communities from purse-seined small pelagic fish, fishing nets and storage tanks

• N. Topić Popović
• I. Strunjak-Perović

Algal turf accrues both costs and benefits to growth via association with adjacent stands of Turbinaria ornata , a rapidly expanding macroalga in the South Pacific

• Adrian S. Cheh
• Erin N. R. Hollander

Lipid profiling during embryogenesis of coral Galaxea fascicularis

• Federica Buttari
• Sujune Tsai
• Chiahsin Lin

Biochemistry and associated fauna of holopelagic Sargassum spp. in the Caribbean Sea

• Brigitta I. van Tussenbroek
• L. Verónica Monroy-Velázquez
• Adolfo Gracia

Complete mitochondrial genomes and population genetic analysis of Brachidontes variabilis (Krauss, 1848) in China

• Shaojing Yan

Collective exploitation of large prey by group foraging shapes aggregation and fitness of cnidarian polyps

• Chiara Gregorin
• Tomás Vega Fernández
• Stefania Puce

Reviewing theory, design, and analysis of tethering experiments to enhance our understanding of predation

• O. Kennedy Rhoades
• Christopher J. Patrick
• Matthew B. Ogburn

The complete mitochondrial genome of the extinct Caribbean monk seal ( Neomonachus tropicalis ) confirms its taxonomic position and the monophyly of the genus Neomonachus

• Gonçalo Espregueira Themudo
• Alba Rey-Iglesia
• Paula F. Campos

Individual performance niches and responses to winter temperature change in three estuarine fishes from eastern Australia

• Clara Bellotto
• Ashley M. Fowler
• David J. Booth

The intensity of a field simulated marine heat wave differentially modulates the transcriptome expression of Posidonia oceanica from warm and cold environments

• Patrizia Stipcich
• Giulia Ceccherelli
• Gabriele Procaccini

Biodiversity of octopuses in the Americas

• Roberto González-Gómez
• Otilio Avendaño
• Ian G. Gleadall

Influence of wind on kittiwake Rissa tridactyla flight and offshore wind turbine collision risk

• Jacob G. Davies
• Philipp H. Boersch-Supan

Feeding ecology of the urchin symbiont Dactylopleustes yoshimurai (Amphipoda) revealed by DNA metabarcoding

• Masafumi Kodama
• Ryoga Yamazaki
• Toru Kobari

Evidence of colony- and individual-level variation in habitat usage of Atlantic Puffins ( Fratercula arctica )

• Ian R. Cleasby

Growth rates of five coral species across a strong environmental gradient in the Colombian Caribbean

• Matteo Bravo
• Verena Schoepf

Exploring the intriguing arrival of Vayssierea Risbec, 1928 slugs in the Atlantic Ocean from the Indo-Pacific (Mollusca, Nudibranchia)

• Carla Canet-Miralda

Nursery provision of red-algal habitats in temperate Algoa Bay, South Africa

• N. C. James
• A. G. Jacobs
• G. M. Rishworth

Cross-ecosystem trophic subsidies to sandy beaches support surf zone fish

• Nicholas K. Schooler
• Kyle A. Emery
• Henry M. Page

Back-to-back bleaching events in Peninsular Malaysia (2019–2020) selectively affect hard coral taxa across- and within-reef scales

• Sebastian Szereday
• Christian R. Voolstra
• Affendi Y. Amri

Diurnal and semidiurnal movements of two commercially important fish in a tropical bay

• Alexandre Tisseaux-Navarro
• Braulio Juárez
• Mario Espinoza

GTPases of immunity associated proteins in the dinoflagellate Breviolum minutum are involved in the response to thermal stress and low light levels

• Brylen M. Cantrell
• Sydney N. Martin
• Angela Z. Poole

The secret lives of wedgefish: first insights into fine-scale behaviour and movement ecology of a globally imperilled ray

• Karissa O. Lear
• Carlos Estrabeau
• Rebecca L. Bateman

Benthic Incubation Chamber (BIC) for in-situ assessment of primary productivity in different canopy-forming communities

• Bianca Reis
• João N. Franco
• Francisco Arenas

Single nucleotide polymorphism data reveals distinct geographic structuring in the Antarctic circumpolar sea spider Nymphon australe

• Jessica R. Zehnpfennig
• Matthew P. Galaska
• Andrew R. Mahon

The population structure and demography of an intertidal gastropod Lunella correensis around the Japanese Archipelago affected by past environmental change

• Osamu Kagawa
• Shun K. Hirota
• Daishi Yamazaki

Long-term co-occurrence and gregariousness in the migratory common stingray using network analysis

• A. C. Winkler

Half the picture: sex bias in the study of squid reproductive strategies

• Jennifer Mather

In-situ valve opening response of eastern oysters to estuarine conditions

• Romain Lavaud
• Stephanie K. Archer
• Jerome F. La Peyre

Sediment trap illustrates taxon-specific seasonal signals in Southern Ocean zooplankton

• Florence Atherden
• Angelika Slomska
• Clara Manno

Snail shell shape, force of attachment, and metabolic rate together cope with the intertidal challenge

• Guillermina Alcaraz
• Aldair Alvarez-Galicia
• Luis M. Burciaga

Wide-ranging migration of post-nesting hawksbill sea turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) from the Caribbean island of Nevis

• Daniel R. Evans
• Lemuel Pemberton
• Raymond R. Carthy

Effects of isolation on invertebrate biodiversity among the bladderwrack Fucus vesiculosus

• Jean-François Blanc
• Henna Rinne
• Sonja Salovius-Laurén

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104 Marine Life Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best marine life topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on marine life, ⭐ simple & easy marine life essay titles.

• Ocean Currents: General Information There are generally two types of ocean currents depending on the water level where the movement of oceanic water takes place and they are the deep ocean currents and the surface ocean currents.
• Non-trophic Interaction in Marine Species An example of non-trophic relationships between marine species is decorator crabs and sponges. Decorator crabs and sponges’ relations are an example of mutually helpful non-trophic interaction mutualism.
• The Aral Sea Problems, Their Causes and Consequences To identify and analyze the problems of the lake, its basin, and the entire region To discuss the causes and consequences of the lake’s destruction To evaluate the solutions proposed for ameliorating the consequences The […]
• Marine Parks Concept Overview In terms of marine tourism, aquatic parks offer the best solution for tourists because they are cheaper than watching animals in the sea.
• Living Resources of the Ocean The most commendable among the benefits of marine life to human life are the fact that marine life can act as food and the fact that some oceanic organisms have medicinal value.
• Marine Life in United Arab Emirates This report analyses the marine life in the UAE, covering detailed information about the various species of animals found in the region and their adaptation to the unique environment.
• Sea Otters’ Life Cycle From Birth to Death However, after the species had almost become extinct and their protection began, the species began to recover and towards the close of the 20th century, conservation had given rise to tens of thousands of sea […]
• Plastic Waste and Its Effects on Marine Life However, many people do not appreciate the importance of oceans to human and marine life. Another effect of microplastics on the marine community is that they lead to uneven distribution of organisms.
• The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine Life The intensity of aquatic effects is influenced by the nature and extent of the spilt oil. Besides, the severity might be influenced by the sensitivity and ambient state of the pretentious marine and their surroundings […]
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden The role of the ICZM in the control of environmental, transport, industrial, and other types of safety is high, and the example of the RSGA region proves this.
• Marine Environment Protection and Management in the Shipping Industry Therefore, criminal penalties system in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency should reinforce legislations to protect sea creatures and humans from oil pollution or wastes from ships.
• How the Ocean Current Affect Animals’ Life in the Sea Depending on the strength of the ocean current, sea animals along the path are flown along with the water, and the animals are moved to new regions that are sometimes thousands of kilometers away causing […]
• Marine Biology: Polar Oceans as an Eco System The water in and around the Antarctic continent is referred to as the Antarctic or Southern Ocean. The Atlantic Water is situated between the Arctic Surface Water and the Arctic Deep Water.
• Climate Change Impacts on Ocean Life The destruction of the ozone layer has led to the exposure of the earth to harmful radiation from the sun. The rising temperatures in the oceans hinder the upward flow of nutrients from the seabed […]
• Marine Surveying, Inspection and Safety Practices The importance of these conventions and rules was to address the need to access different ports in different countries based on uniform rules and standards acceptable to destination ports or countries in addition to maintaining […]
• The Ocean Pollution Problem Overview Ocean pollution is the unfavorable upshot due to the entrance of chemicals and particulate substances into the ocean. The land is the key source of ocean pollution in the form of non-point water pollution.
• Life in the Bottom of the Ocean and Its Protection While we all strive hard to detect and analyze the essence of life and the impact it has on our lives, we need to understand that life in itself is a big mystery, the truth […]
• The Rising of Sea Level and Melting Glaciers: Analysis of the Issues In modern realities, the rate of warming of the World’s Oceans has increased. Global warming provokes the melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica.
• The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and Its Consequences The worst effects of the great wave were observed in Indonesia, where the death toll exceeded 160,000 people, and the overall damages almost reached $4.
• The Dead Sea Geochemical History Globally, the most saline location is found on the water surfaces and shores of the Dead Sea. On the other hand, the pattern of fluctuation in temperature and salinity in the Arctic Ocean is complex.
• Habitat and Ocean Life Considerations of Bottlenose Dolphins The temperate and tropical oceans of the world are home to bottlenose dolphins. On the American continent, bottlenose dolphins can be seen along California’s southern beaches and the eastern seaboard from Massachusetts to Florida, and […]
• Marine Creatures and Terrestrial Animals in “The Wild West: Gold Rush” In fact, Californian nature is rich in various animal species that live to survive and pass their genes to the offspring.
• The Negatives of Fossil Fuel: Ocean Acidification and Human Health The adverse effects of burning oil are hard to overestimate. Unless specific and practical actions are taken to address the issues of global climate change and pollution issues and reduce reliance on oil, the future […]
• Impacts of Climate Change on Ocean The development of phytoplankton is sensitive to the temperature of the ocean. Some marine life is leaving the ocean due to the rising water temperature.
• Exploring Environmental Issues: Marine Ecotourism For marine ecotourism to succeed, it must thrive in a manner that accommodates the needs of both the current and future generations and safeguards the natural environment.
• Autonomous Platforms in Marine Research One of the significant ideas that can increase the overall efficiency of the data collection process is the creation of networks of autonomous platforms.
• The Sea Water Impact on the Human Cell Hence, consuming it causes a high amount of salt without the human cell, which leads to a steep concentration gradient within the cell, thereby causing water to be drawn out, which is detrimental to the […]
• Ocean Sustainability and Human Economic Activity The world economy and the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people depend on the ocean. It is important to remember that the misuse of water resources and the effects of global climate change will […]
• Mining and Ocean Use in Canada Cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper are among the metals deep seabed mining seeks to extract from the polymetallic nodules on the seafloor and seamounts.
• Addressing Marine Debris: Causes, Effects, and Potential Solutions A major limitation that makes the eradication of the problem difficult is the fact that most of the debris contains microplastic.
• Sea Foods in the Environment Protection Context Further, the purpose of the website is to give information that seeks to reward the efforts of people who protect and safeguard the ocean and seafood supplies such as lobsters.
• How Deep Sea Discoveries Inspires Professional Creativity Limited technological access to the deep seas should inspire one to focus on the necessary technology to build the most efficient deep-sea robots.
• Visiting San Francisco Bay as Marine Protected Area San Francisco Bay Bridge will become the central place for this trip because it is just in the center of this view.
• Ocean Dumping Issue and Rhetorical Rationale Therefore, the goal of this paper is to prove that the poster in question manages to accomplish an impressive goal of subverting the audience’s expectation and encouraging them to shift from an ironic perception of […]
• The Ocean Dumping Problem: A Visual Argument There is, however, less awareness of deep-sea drilling and the impacts on the habitat and human life in the oceans and along the coasts.
• Australia’s Endangered Diverse Marine Ecosystem Climate Change and population increase are becoming increasingly difficult to perceive distinctly, especially when the question is about the loss of a diverse marine environment.
• Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 342 Such flows reduce the temperature of the planet’s core, change the composition of the foundation bedrock, and impact microorganism dispersion in the subterranean ecosystem.
• Ocean Circulation and Biogeography, Species Distribution, Invasive Species The concept of ocean circulation refers to the movements of water in the oceans and seas. Surface ocean currents carry water from the poles to the tropics, where it is heated, and, afterwards, this water […]
• “History of Ocean Basins” by Hess From the article it is vivid that the coming into being of oceans is subject to discussion since the previous knowledge is doubtful, and the existing framework is confusing.
• Plastic Ocean and Its Effect on the Ecosystem The purpose of this essay is to present science-based facts in support of the author’s words to convince the reader of the criticality of the ecological problem.
• Marine Protected Areas: Impact on Kelp Forest Recovery and Urchin Reduction The research aims to study the effectiveness of MPA for kelp forest recovery and urchin reduction. The research aims to study the effectiveness of MPA for kelp forest recovery and urchin reduction.
• Environmental Marine Ecosystems: Biological Invasions One of the biggest hypoxic zones in the US is in the Gulf of Mexico. The condition of water in the area caused the decline of the shrimp industry.
• Effect of Sea Water and Corrosion on Concrete On the other hand, substantial tautness, for instance due to meandering will shatter the tiny firm pattern, ending up in fracturing and disjointing of the concrete.
• Effects of Global Warming on Marine Life Global warming has adverse effects on the marine life. It has led to the extinction of some of the animals and living things and has been necessitated by human activities.
• Deep-Sea Biology: The Search for a Sea Monster This case study is about the attempts of Clyde Roper to find the giant squid. This canyon is known to be very deep and runs towards the Kermadec Trench which is also documented to be […]
• Bacterial Diseases of Marine Organisms The striped dolphin is a highly susceptible host of the bacteria and poses and the most potent reservoir and source of transmission of the infectious agent.
• Ecotoxicology in the Marmara Sea: A Critical Review The importance and actuality of the paper can not be exaggerated, as the problem of toxic wastes is one of the most burning in Europe.
• How Climate Change Impacts Ocean Temperature and Marine Life The ocean’s surface consumes the excess heat from the air, which leads to significant issues in all of the planet’s ecosystems.
• Dell’s Initiative to Recycle Ocean-Bound Plastics The innovation to use plastics from the ocean and areas where these materials had a high risk of moving to the water was presented to the company in 2015.
• High Seas Marine Protected Areas: Effective Legislation or Paper Parks This essay dwells on the definition and importance of MPAs, including the ones in the high sea. The goal of the alliance is to bolster international collaboration and exchange of knowledge.
• Intergovernmental Relations and Ocean Policy Change The administration of Ronald Reagan contributed to the Federal ocean policy in the 1980s. During this change, analysts believed the United States was making a shift from ocean protection of the 1970s to ocean management […]
• Improving the Response to Marine Emergencies However, we still need to facilitate this process, for instance, by informing the National Fire Service about the implementation of this project and its results. These are the most objectives that have to be attained […]
• A Benchmarking Biodiversity Survey of the Inter-Tidal Zone at Goat Island Bay, Leigh Marine Laboratory Within each quadrant, the common species were counted or, in the case of seaweed and moss, proliferation estimated as a percentage of the quadrant occupied.
• Ocean Circulation in a Warming Climate These effects will enhance the development of reduced release of radio-carbon depleted carbon dioxide gas and thus the idea of the self-restoration mechanism of the earth to this global warming.
• Protected Marine Areas: Great Barrier Reef To protect the Great Barrier Reef the administration has put in place several policies to protect this region. In this plan, A panel of scientists was to advise on the quality of waste.
• Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion The warm seawater is carried into a chamber and is used to produce vapor that, in turn, is used to rotate a turbine.
• Review of the Quaternary History of Reefs in the Red Sea With Reference to Past Sea-Level Changes Some of the changes have occurred on the very grandest of scales, such as the Merging and ensuing breaking up of huge supercontinents, or the decimation of the dinosaurs by extra-terrestrial impacts.reefs are not invulnerable […]
• Radiocarbon C14 Dating in Marine Geology The radiocarbon technique can say to be one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, especially in the field of human science.
• Marine Pollution: Sources, Types, Pathways, and Status By examining sources, types, pathways, and status of water contamination in the context of the World Ocean, it is clear that most marine pollution caused by human actions, especially the mismanagement of plastic debris.
• Concerns of Ocean Ecosystem Pollution The range of adverse outcomes for ocean ecosystems can be discussed in volumes; however, the current discussion will focus on trash in the ocean waters, acidification, and the disruption of the marine life cycles.
• Marine Degradation and Solutions in the Pacific Region The second issue related to the degradation of marine resources in the Pacific region is the unsustainable use of marine resources, including destructive fishing, which leads to changes in the number and health of species.
• Port Philip Bay and Sea Levels in Australia’s Geological History As the scientist explains, the phenomenon of the port’s emergence in the dry environment can be attributed to the fact that considerable water shrinkage could be observed in the area roughly 1,000 years ago.
• Geology: Port Phillip Bay and Sea Level Changes Specifically, the fossils of specific creatures, such as the shells of tertiary foraminifera, as well as the meanders of the river channels, which were located in the area, are bound to bolster the hypothesis suggested […]
• Marine Algae Associated Bacteria as Antioxidants The antinociceptive activity analysis involved comparing the reaction time of mice treated with the extracts and the controls. The authors conclude that the isolation and characterization of the bioactive principles from the potent strains could […]
• Ocean-Plate Tectonics and Geology Bathymetry of the ocean seafloor refers to the measurement of how deep the sea is in relation to the sea level.
• Impact of Sea Transport on the Aquatic Environment The shipping companies also have a serious impact on the maritime environment in terms of the wastes often released into the water.
• Deep-Sea Currents and Upwelling Along Florida The thermohaline circulation influences the movement and population of the marine ecosystem and heat redistribution both in the sea and on the earth’s surface.
• Climate Change Effects on Ocean Acidification The scientists realized that the crisis lasted for several millennia before the oceans could fully recover from the impacts of the drop in the pH level.
• Marine Geology, Hydrology and Human Impact on Earth However, the implementation of the new technologies and practices in the process of investigation of the sea depths resulted in the appearance of the new meaning.
• Marine Ecosystems, Human Dependence and Impact The growth of communities dependent on fishing is proportional to the destruction of marine ecosystems. The survival of the human race, and the survival of millions of species of wildlife is dependent on a healthy […]
• The Northern Sea Route’ Safety Management The company discusses the opportunity to trade some of the vessels with the help of the NSR. The NSR is discussed as an attractive option to decrease the time spent in the voyage while comparing […]
• Water Crisis, Oceans and Sea Turtles Issues In the case of Mexico, it appears that the past regimes have never put a lot of focus on the utilization of water resources.
• SOFAR Effects on the Marine Life The speed and energy of the sounds that are transmitted in the SOFAR channel are maintained without being altered because of the pressure, which increases with increase in depth.
• Ocean Acidification Impact on the Sea Urchin Larval Growth Due to the carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere, acidity in the oceans is increasing++ and a fast increase of change rate is experienced.
• Deep Sea Mining: Salt Extraction This therefore shows how important the process of evaporation is in regard to extraction of salt from the sea. This therefore explains that sea water is a cheap source of salt in terms of time […]
• Pacific Ocean: Essentials of Oceanography The ocean has about 25,000 islands which are in excess of the entire number islands in all the oceans across the world. The volume of water in the ocean is about 622 million km3.
• Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Impure Public Goods The fact that the issue concerning the global marine biodiversity and the effects that impure public goods may possibly have on these rates can lead to the development of a range of externalities that should […]
• El Niño’s Effects on Marine Life El Nino makes the winds of the east blow to the west and moves the layers of warm water in the Pacific Ocean.
• The Aral Sea’s Environmental Issues Prior to its destruction, the Sea was one of the biggest water bodies, rich in different species of flora and fauna; a case that is opposite today, as the sea is almost becoming extinct.
• Marine Ecosystems in Oceanography Studies While oceanography students need to understand these aspects of ocean management, this paper focused on marine ecosystems, as a broad and useful topic in oceanography studies.
• Ecology Issues: Creatures of the Deep Sea Discuss the negative changes that are occurring and the cause of these changes In the recent past, the temperature on the earth has been rising steadily due to the effect of global warming.
• Ocean Literacy and Exploration From the onset of “human-ocean interaction and exploration in the fifteenth century” and despite ocean being the largest feature of the earth, only 5% of the ocean is known.
• Ocean and Atmosphere Circulation Oceanic and atmospheric circulation is the means by which heat is distributed on the surface of the Earth by large scale circulation of air.
• The Role of Sea Power in International Trade The historical influence that the marines or the navy has had on international trade and the complications in comparing measures of sea power has been issues of discussion in the past.
• The Global Ocean Conveyor Belt This ocean water phenomenon is a result of the temperature difference in the ocean waters between the warm, salty surface water, and the less salty cold water in the ocean depths.
• Ocean Fisheries Sustainability Analysis It is necessary for fishing industries to use better fishing methods in the ocean to ensure that their activities do not endanger the ecological balance. Fish species do not get the chance to replenish and […]
• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Reefs This essay addresses some of the disturbances which have been experienced in the coral reefs of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary together with measures which have been implemented to salvage the ecosystem.
• Marine Conservation and Coastal Development The committee should comprise of a balanced membership for holistic review of the coastal development projects. The lack of legislation related to marine conservation is also a major setback.
• The Problem of Ocean Pollution in Modern World Wastes such as toxic matter, plastics, and human wastes are some of the major sources of pollution in the ocean. Many people consume fish as food; when marine life is affected by toxic substance in […]
• Plastic Ocean Pollution on Ocean Life in U.S. Ocean plastic pollution has had a great impact on a minimum of two hundred and sixty seven species across the world and these include forty three percent of all of the sea mammal species, eighty […]
• Climate Shift Could Leave Some Marine Species Homeless This is very important as it helps put pressure on countries to reduce on carbon release, in order to conserve the environment and hence species at risk.
• Global Warming Outcomes and Sea-Level Changes The outcome of global warming has been exhibited by the melting of ice and snows in areas such as the Antarctic which has changed the average sea level of the whole world because the ice […]
• The Ocean’s Rarest Mammal Vaquita – An Endangered Species The vaquita looks like a curved stocky porpoise, and it is the smallest of all the porpoises in the world. This is a matter of concern and ought to be investigated if the survival of […]
• Deep Sea Volcanoes and their Effects Deep sea volcanoes are present under deep sea ridges of the ocean floor and the above research has been based on the amount of carbon dioxide that is present in depths of four kilometers on […]
• Policy Change to Control Ocean Dumping Policies addressing the issue of ocean dumping and the need to curb it have been in place. Several factors fueled the change; for instance, change in the information concerning the effect of ocean dumping to […]
• Coral Reef Essay Topics
• Hunting Questions
• Moby Dick Questions
• Landfill Essay Titles
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Main Content

Oceanography - research topics.

The following Research Topics are led by experts in their field and contribute to the scientific understanding of oceanography. These Research topics are published in the peer-reviewed journal, Frontiers in Marine Science , as open access articles .

Impact of Ocean Forcing on the Coastal Hydrology, Environment and Freshwater Resources

Groundwater is a valuable source of freshwater in coastal areas. The groundwater flux in coastal aquifers generally occurs in two processes: seawater intrusion (SWI) and submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). SWI, the subsurface movement of seawater ...

Spiralian Genomics in a Changing World

Global climate change will have devastating effects not only on humans, but also on the animals inhabiting our planet. Among animal groups, spiralians encompass diverse animal species represented by a broad range of taxa, including mollusks, annelids...

Microplastics in Aquaculture

Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in a variety of aquatic organisms such as bacteria, phyto-, zooplankton, other invertebrates, and vertebrates such as fish and others. MPs enter food webs and, with their attached contaminants, can be transferre...

Bridging knowledge gaps in marine biological invasions

Biological invasions are one of the most important causes of biodiversity loss and a<br/>key component of global change. In marine environments, the assessment and<br/>management of biological invasions is more challenging than in terrestrial<br/>env...

Challenges in Fishery Assessment Methodologies

Fisheries management is a complex socio-political process that needs to be supported by accurate, consistent scientific data on stock status and trends. This is even more relevant with the current rapidly changing condition of the oceans of the world...

Petroleum Pollutants and Removal in Marine Environments

Petroleum pollution provides a major threat caused by many marine human activities. The produced water from offshore oil and gas field extraction contains significant amounts of petroleum, which need to be separated from water before being reinjecte...

Processes, Mechanisms and Solutions in Coastal Wetland to Adapt to Changing Environment

Coastal wetlands provide precious ecological services for us, like coastal protection, carbon storage, flooding mitigation, production, and so on. Mangrove, saltmarsh, sea grass, oyster reef, and coral reef are typical types of coastal wetland, each ...

Marine Microplastics and their epibiotic Microorganisms (MMM)

Plastic is one of the most important types of man-made polluting debris in global ocean. Those less than 5 mm are called microplastics (MPs). Sources of MPs mainly include the degradation of larger plastics and manufactured microbeads. Despite variou...

Homo Aquaticus: New Frontiers in Living and Working in the Ocean

The ocean plays a critical role in the well-being of all humans on the planet, yet in many ways, we are still just at the beginning stages of ocean exploration. This gap in our understanding is particularly salient in the context of human presence wi...

Governance of Ocean Carbon Capture and Storage: Interdisciplinary [Social Science] Perspectives

The accomplishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992), the establishment of the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015) provided a new perspective for the future of international climate policy, by achiev...

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Marine biology articles within Nature

Article 23 October 2024 | Open Access

Coral photosymbiosis on Mid-Devonian reefs

Nitrogen isotope evidence of Mid-Devonian photosymbiotic associations in certain types of corals suggests that autotrophic and heterotrophic corals co-existed on extinct reefs, as today, but in warmer oceans, indicating the current warming rate, not temperature, is causing coral bleaching.

• Jonathan Jung
• , Simon F. Zoppe
•  &  Alfredo Martínez-García

Article 04 September 2024 | Open Access

Global marine microbial diversity and its potential in bioprospecting

Analysis of 43,191 genomes obtained from publicly available marine bacterial and archaeal metagenome data provides insights into marine bacterial evolution, CRISPR–Cas defence and antibiotic resistance genes, and demonstrates the potential of marine metagenomes for biotechnological applications.

• Jianwei Chen
• , Yangyang Jia
•  &  Guangyi Fan

Article 26 June 2024 | Open Access

Cenozoic history of the tropical marine biodiversity hotspot

A reconstruction of Cenozoic marine biodiversity in the Indo-Australian Archipelago reveals decreasing rates of net diversification and identifies the factors that have established it as the richest marine biodiversity hotspot.

• Skye Yunshu Tian
• , Moriaki Yasuhara
•  &  Tomoki Kase

Article | 15 May 2024

One-third of Southern Ocean productivity is supported by dust deposition

Nitrate observations over 11 years from autonomous biogeochemical ocean profiling combined with a Southern Hemisphere dust simulation find that iron supplied by dust supports about 30% of Southern Ocean productivity.

• , Zanna Chase
•  &  Sonya L. Fiddes

Matters Arising | 20 September 2023

Reply to: Global effects of marine protected areas on food security are unknown

• , Juan Mayorga
•  &  Boris Worm

Article 23 August 2023 | Open Access

Reef-building corals farm and feed on their photosynthetic symbionts

Long-term experiments show that corals acquire dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus by feeding on symbiont cells, which provide essential nutrients enabling their success in nutrient-poor waters.

• Jörg Wiedenmann
• , Cecilia D’Angelo
•  &  Amatzia Genin

Article 16 August 2023 | Open Access

Persistent equatorial Pacific iron limitation under ENSO forcing

An assessment of variations in phytoplankton nutrient limitation in the tropical Pacific over the past two decades finds that phytoplankton iron limitation is more stable in response to ENSO dynamics than models predict.

• Thomas J. Browning
• , Mak A. Saito
•  &  Alessandro Tagliabue

Article | 14 June 2023

Krill body size drives particulate organic carbon export in West Antarctica

A multi-decadal sediment-trap time series reveals that the body size, not the abundance, of Antarctic krill drives the particulate organic carbon flux on the continental shelf of the West Antarctic Peninsula.

• Rebecca Trinh
• , Hugh W. Ducklow
•  &  William R. Fraser

Matters Arising | 10 May 2023

Reply to: Quantifying the carbon benefits of ending bottom trawling

• Trisha B. Atwood
• , Enric Sala
•  &  Jane Lubchenco

Article 19 April 2023 | Open Access

Mirusviruses link herpesviruses to giant viruses

A phylogeny-guided genome-resolved metagenomic analysis of DNA viruses in the ocean reveals atypical plankton-infecting relatives of herpesviruses that form a putative new phylum dubbed Mirusviricota .

• Morgan Gaïa
• , Lingjie Meng
•  &  Tom O. Delmont

Article 01 March 2023 | Open Access

Coastal phytoplankton blooms expand and intensify in the 21st century

Satellite observations reveal global increases in the extent and frequency of phytoplankton blooms between 2003 and 2020 and provide insights into the relationship between blooms, ocean circulation and sea surface temperature.

• , Shangbo Yang
•  &  Lian Feng

Article 25 May 2022 | Open Access

Enhanced silica export in a future ocean triggers global diatom decline

Mesocosm experiments in different biomes show that future ocean acidification will slow down the dissolution of biogenic silica, decreasing silicic acid availability in the surface ocean and triggering a global decline of diatoms as revealed by Earth system model simulations.

• Jan Taucher
• , Lennart T. Bach
•  &  Ulf Riebesell

Article | 27 April 2022

Expanding ocean food production under climate change

Sustainable mariculture could increase seafood production under almost all climate-change scenarios analysed, but this would require substantial fisheries reforms, continued advances in feed technology and the establishment of effective mariculture governance and best practices.

• Christopher M. Free
• , Reniel B. Cabral
•  &  Steven D. Gaines

Article | 20 April 2022

Chemotaxis shapes the microscale organization of the ocean’s microbiome

In situ experiments have demonstrated chemotaxis of marine bacteria and archaea towards specific phytoplankton-derived dissolved organic matter, which leads to microscale partitioning of biogeochemical transformation in the ocean.

• Jean-Baptiste Raina
• , Bennett S. Lambert
•  &  Justin R. Seymour

Article 28 July 2021 | Open Access

Possible poriferan body fossils in early Neoproterozoic microbial reefs

Vermiform microstructure in microbial reefs dating to approximately 890 million years ago resembles the body fossils of Phanerozoic demosponges, and may represent the earliest known physical evidence of animals.

• Elizabeth C. Turner

Matters Arising | 07 July 2021

Shark mortality cannot be assessed by fishery overlap alone

• Hilario Murua
• , Shane P. Griffiths
•  &  Victor Restrepo

Reply to: Shark mortality cannot be assessed by fishery overlap alone

• Nuno Queiroz
• , Nicolas E. Humphries
•  &  David W. Sims

Reply to: Caution over the use of ecological big data for conservation

Matters Arising | 21 October 2020

Methods matter in repeating ocean acidification studies

• Philip L. Munday
• , Danielle L. Dixson
•  &  Sue-Ann Watson

Article | 16 September 2020

Metabolic trait diversity shapes marine biogeography

A tight coupling between metabolic rate, efficacy of oxygen supply and the temperature sensitivities of marine animals predicts a variety of geographical niches that better aligns with the distributions of species than models of either temperature or oxygen alone.

• Curtis Deutsch
• , Justin L. Penn
•  &  Brad Seibel

Article | 17 June 2020

Emergent constraint on Arctic Ocean acidification in the twenty-first century

Sea surface density observations in the Arctic Ocean reveal a relationship between the present-day surface water density and the anthropogenic carbon inventory and coincident acidification, suggesting that recent acidification projections are underestimates.

• Jens Terhaar
• , Lester Kwiatkowski
•  &  Laurent Bopp

Article | 03 June 2020

Revealing enigmatic mucus structures in the deep sea using DeepPIV

Advanced deep-sea imaging tools yield insights into the structure and function of mucus filtration houses built by midwater giant larvaceans.

• Kakani Katija
• , Giancarlo Troni
•  &  Bruce H. Robison

Review Article | 01 April 2020

Rebuilding marine life

Analyses of the recovery of marine populations, habitats and ecosystems following past conservation interventions indicate that substantial recovery of the abundance, structure and function of marine life could be achieved by 2050 if major pressures, including climate change, are mitigated.

• Carlos M. Duarte
• , Susana Agusti

Article | 11 March 2020

Recycling and metabolic flexibility dictate life in the lower oceanic crust

Analyses of microbial communities that live 10–750 m below the seafloor at Atlantis Bank, Indian Ocean, provide insights into how these microorganisms survive by coupling energy sources to organic and inorganic carbon resources.

• Jiangtao Li
• , Paraskevi Mara
•  &  Virginia P. Edgcomb

Article | 27 November 2019

Global satellite-observed daily vertical migrations of ocean animals

Satellite-derived analysis of daily vertical migrations of ocean animals shows that the relative abundance and total biomass of these animals differ between different regions globally, depending on the availability of food and necessity to avoid predators.

• Michael J. Behrenfeld
• , Peter Gaube
•  &  Scott C. Doney

Perspective | 06 November 2019

Sex and gender analysis improves science and engineering

The authors discuss the potential for sex and gender analysis to foster scientific discovery, improve experimental efficiency and enable social equality.

• Cara Tannenbaum
• , Robert P. Ellis
•  &  Londa Schiebinger

Letter | 25 September 2019

Harnessing global fisheries to tackle micronutrient deficiencies

Nutrient content analyses of marine finfish and current fisheries landings show that fish have the potential to substantially contribute to global food and nutrition security by alleviating micronutrient deficiencies in regions where they are prevalent.

• Christina C. Hicks
• , Philippa J. Cohen
•  &  M. Aaron MacNeil

Article | 24 July 2019

Global spatial risk assessment of sharks under the footprint of fisheries

A global dataset of the satellite-tracked movements of pelagic sharks and fishing fleets show that sharks—and, in particular, commercially important species—have limited spatial refuge from fishing effort.

Letter | 22 May 2019

Global change drives modern plankton communities away from the pre-industrial state

Seafloor-derived planktonic foraminifera communities of pre-industrial age are compared with communities from sediment-trap time series and show that Anthropocene communities of a globally distributed zooplankton group differ from their unperturbed pre-industrial state.

• Lukas Jonkers
• , Helmut Hillebrand
•  &  Michal Kucera

Article | 13 February 2019

Convergent estimates of marine nitrogen fixation

Convergent estimates of nitrogen fixation from an inverse biogeochemical and a prognostic ocean model show that biological carbon export in the ocean is higher than expected and that stabilizing nitrogen-cycle feedbacks are weaker than we thought.

• Wei-Lei Wang
• , J. Keith Moore
•  &  François W. Primeau

Letter | 23 January 2019

Contrasting processes drive ophiuroid phylodiversity across shallow and deep seafloors

Our knowledge of the distribution and evolution of deep-sea life is limited, impeding our ability to identify priority areas for conservation.

• Timothy D. O’Hara
• , Andrew F. Hugall
•  &  Nicholas J. Bax

Letter | 31 October 2018

The metabolite dimethylsulfoxonium propionate extends the marine organosulfur cycle

A structurally unusual zwitterionic metabolite, dimethylsulfoxonium propionate (DMSOP), is synthesized by several dimethylsulfoniopropionate-producing microalgae and marine bacteria and is readily metabolized into dimethylsulfoxide by marine bacteria, expanding our knowledge of the marine organosulfur cycle.

• Kathleen Thume
• , Björn Gebser
•  &  Georg Pohnert

Letter | 11 July 2018

Seabirds enhance coral reef productivity and functioning in the absence of invasive rats

Productivity of coral reefs is enhanced near islands with no invasive rats, as populations of seabirds, which transfer nitrogen from deeper areas of ocean to the nearshore waters via their guano, are much larger than on rat-infested islands.

• Nicholas A. J. Graham
• , Shaun K. Wilson

Article | 14 June 2018

Loss of coral reef growth capacity to track future increases in sea level

Analyses of current coral reef growth rates in the tropical western Atlantic and Indian Ocean show that few reefs will have the capacity to track sea-level rise projections under Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios without sustained ecological recovery.

• Chris T. Perry
• , Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
•  &  Chancey Macdonald

Letter | 18 April 2018

Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages

Acute heat stress from the extended marine heatwave of 2016 is a potent driver of the transformation of coral assemblages, which affects even the most remote and well-protected reefs of the Great Barrier Reef.

• Terry P. Hughes
• , James T. Kerry
•  &  Gergely Torda

Letter | 14 March 2018

Carbon dioxide addition to coral reef waters suppresses net community calcification

In situ carbon dioxide enrichment experiments show that ocean acidification poses a threat to coral reefs by reducing the saturation state of aragonite and the concentration of carbonate ions and that this impairs community calcification.

• Rebecca Albright
• , Yuichiro Takeshita
•  &  Ken Caldeira

Carbonate-sensitive phytotransferrin controls high-affinity iron uptake in diatoms

Phytotransferrin, a functional analogue of transferrin, has an obligate requirement for carbonate to bind iron, which suggests that acidification-driven declines in the concentration of seawater carbonate ions may negatively affect diatom iron acquisition.

• Jeffrey B. McQuaid
• , Adam B. Kustka
•  &  Andrew E. Allen

Letter | 01 November 2017

Nutrient co-limitation at the boundary of an oceanic gyre

Nutrient amendment experiments at the boundary of the South Atlantic gyre reveal extensive regions in which nitrogen and iron are co-limiting, with other micronutrients also approaching co-deficiency; such limitations potentially increase phytoplankton community diversity.

• , Eric P. Achterberg
•  &  C. Mark Moore

Outlook | 12 October 2017

The increasing acidity of our seas is a threat to marine life that for many species may be impossible to overcome.

• Sarah DeWeerdt

Letter | 16 August 2017

The rise of algae in Cryogenian oceans and the emergence of animals

Steroid biomarkers provide evidence for a rapid rise of marine planktonic algae between 659 and 645 million years ago, establishing more efficient energy transfers and driving ecosystems towards larger and increasingly complex organisms.

• Jochen J. Brocks
• , Amber J. M. Jarrett
•  &  Tharika Liyanage

Article | 16 March 2017

Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

Aerial and underwater survey data combined with satellite-derived measurements of sea surface temperature over the past two decades show that multiple mass-bleaching events have expanded to encompass virtually all of the Great Barrier Reef.

•  &  Shaun K. Wilson

Letter | 15 March 2017

Phytoplankton can actively diversify their migration strategy in response to turbulent cues

Here, marine phytoplankton are shown to diversify their migratory strategy in response to turbulent cues through a rapid change in shape, thus challenging a fundamental paradigm in oceanography that phytoplankton are passively at the mercy of ocean turbulence.

• Anupam Sengupta
• , Francesco Carrara
•  &  Roman Stocker

Letter | 21 September 2016

Ecogenomics and potential biogeochemical impacts of globally abundant ocean viruses

The assembly and analysis of complete genomes and large genomic fragments have tripled the number of known ocean viruses and uncovered the potentially important roles they play in nitrogen and sulfur cycling.

• , Jennifer R. Brum
•  &  Matthew B. Sullivan

Article | 03 August 2016

SAR11 bacteria linked to ocean anoxia and nitrogen loss

Bacteria of the SAR11 clade constitute up to one half of all marine microbes and are thought to require oxygen for growth; here, a subgroup of SAR11 bacteria are shown to thrive in ocean oxygen minimum zones and to encode abundant respiratory nitrate reductases.

• Despina Tsementzi
• , Jieying Wu
•  &  Frank J. Stewart

Letter | 11 May 2016

Deep-sea diversity patterns are shaped by energy availability

Depth-dependent patterns in ocean species diversity can be explained by latitudinal variations in energy availability, with shelf and upper-slope diversity increasing with thermal energy availability, and deep-sea diversity increasing with chemical energy availability; the discovery of these distinct patterns could help to guide the conservation and management of these remote ecosystems.

• Skipton N. C. Woolley
• , Derek P. Tittensor
•  &  Timothy D. O’Hara

Letter | 24 February 2016

Reversal of ocean acidification enhances net coral reef calcification

A manipulative experiment in which a reef is alkalinized in situ shows that calcification rates are likely to be lower already than they were in pre-industrial times because of acidification.

• , Lilian Caldeira

Article | 10 February 2016

Plankton networks driving carbon export in the oligotrophic ocean

Plankton communities in the top 150 m of the nutrient-depleted, oligotrophic global ocean that are most associated with carbon export include unexpected taxa, such as Radiolaria, alveolate parasites, and Synechococcus and their phages, and point towards potential functional markers predicting a significant fraction of the variability in carbon export in these regions.

• Lionel Guidi
• , Samuel Chaffron
•  &  Gabriel Gorsky

Letter | 09 September 2015

A marine biogenic source of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles

The presence of ice in clouds can influence cloud lifetime, precipitation and radiative properties; here, organic material at the sea–air interface, possibly associated with phytoplankton cell exudates, is shown to nucleate ice under conditions relevant for ice cloud formation in the atmospheric environment.

• Theodore W. Wilson
• , Luis A. Ladino
•  &  Benjamin J. Murray

News | 26 September 2012

Sea urchins can cope with acidic waters

Genetic variability makes some marine organisms resilient to environmental change.

• Virginia Gewin

Letter | 19 September 2012

Oceanic nitrogen reservoir regulated by plankton diversity and ocean circulation

Here, the feedback between marine nitrogen fixation and denitrification is shown to yield an oceanic nitrate deficit more than double its observed value in a model with realistic ocean circulation; this discrepancy can be resolved by accounting for diversity in the metabolic N:P requirements of plankton.

• Thomas Weber
•  &  Curtis Deutsch

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Core Research Areas

There are many ways to focus your studies or research in marine biology, and it can be difficult to know where to start. The University of Washington has faculty with expertise in a diverse range of research areas related to marine biology. To help you explore these areas, we group many topics of interest into four ‘core research areas’. Click on a specific topic to find faculty who teach or research in the areas you’re interested in.

Many Marine Biologists research specific groups of organisms. How and why did they evolve? What is unique about this group of organisms? Many people have an early interest in sharks, whales and fish. Try exploring a group you aren’t as familiar with – lesser-known groups such as marine invertebrates or seaweeds may surprise you!

Marine Microbiology Salmon Sharks Fish Invertebrates Marine Mammals Seabirds

How do organisms in the marine environment move, get energy, or reproduce? How do they adapt to the stresses of their environment? How do they interact with each other? When we examine processes, we think about the physiology of an organism (i.e, how does it work?) as well as how that organism is similar to or different from other life in the ocean. This can advance our understanding of life in the sea, and may even have implications for human health or engineering.

Evolution & Adaptation Animal Behavior Genetics/Genomics

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Marine life does not exist alone. It is part of a complex system of interactions with other organisms and the physical environment. Studying the ‘big picture’ through ecology or oceanography is a critical part of marine biology.

Salish Sea Ecology Tropical Ecology & Corals Oceanography Arctic Ecology Quantitative Ecology & Modeling

Changing Oceans

The oceans are constantly changing due to the natural cycles of tides or seasons to longer-term changes in global climate. Humans influence change in the oceans as societal and economic forces drive what we take out of the ocean and what we put in. Marine Biologists have an important voice in decisions about conservation and marine policy.

Science Communication Resource Management Climate & Global Change Conservation

The Winter Cohort application deadline is November 24, 2024.  

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15+ Research Ideas in Marine Biology for High School Students

As an ambitious high school student interested in marine biology looking to better your chances of getting into a prestigious program, you may consider different options — from internships to summer schools — to improve your knowledge. If this sounds like you, then consider undertaking a research project! Marine ecosystems are intrinsically linked to climate change and healthy oceans, as food, water, and shelter sources, are necessary to sustain life.  

Marine biology is a vast field with multiple avenues for research. Not to mention, undertaking an intensive research project helps build skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication, and can go a long way in showcasing your demonstrated interest in a subject.  Research experience will add value to your college application as it shows that you’re intellectually curious and have a great aptitude for learning.

Ambitious high school students selected for the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs  work on a research area of their interest and receive 1-1 mentorship by top Ph.D. scholars .

Below are some marine biology research ideas for you to consider, some of which have been shared by our research mentors – we hope they inspire you!

Topic #1 - The Climate Crisis and its impact on marine biodiversity

Faced with climate change, our oceans are facing one of their most vulnerable moments in history. Understanding the intersection between climate change and marine biology is crucial to conserving and managing marine ecosystems. Global warming, ocean acidification, and deoxygenation — collectively known as the “deadly trio”  — are making oceans increasingly inhospitable to life and inhibiting the functioning of marine ecosystems. As a researcher, you could conduct critical investigations within this field and suggest more sustainable practices to preserve the marine ecosystem.  Depending on your research goals and how much time and resources you can commit, you could conduct either primary or secondary research.

Here are a few ideas you could choose from: 

1. Investigate how rising temperatures are affecting the migratory patterns of fish within a designated zone. Research where these species go and how the composition of marine communities affects interactions between species.

2. How does ocean acidification — when oceans absorb more carbon dioxide from the air — harm different kinds of marine species? What knock-on impact does acidification have on coastal communities that depend on the ocean for food and their livelihood?

3. Examine how corals are responding to climate change, how the change in oceanic temperatures affects their reef-building capabilities, and the knock-on effects.

4. Research changing ocean currents and circulation patterns and how they can impact the distribution of nutrients, affecting the productivity of marine ecosystems

5. Dive into the correlation and causation between extreme weather events and climate change. How does rising temperature affect the frequency and intensity of cyclones, hurricanes, and other natural disasters? 

Some of these ideas were contributed by Lumiere Mentors from the University of San Diego, California.

Topic #2 - Coastal economies and the marine ecosystem

Coastal economics and communities have a complex interaction with marine biodiversity, and their actions have both economic and ecological outcomes on the ocean . Marine and human health are closely connected — seafood is an integral part of coastal communities’ diet and marine-based products provide them with livelihood. As a researcher, you could investigate creating healthy marine socio-economic systems for the future,  and consider diving deeper into some of the following ideas: 

6. Review the effectiveness of different nations’ coastal zone management policies and how well they balance economic vs. ecological needs. You could then compile your findings into a best practices list and suggest improvements to existing policies

7. Make a valuation of the economic services of a designated coastal region. This can include a valuation of fishing activities, tourism, ocean-sourced products, etc, and their contribution to the economy

8. Examine how marine conservation and tourism can go hand-in-hand. Suggest ways to ensure the sustainable development of coastal economies

9. Explore innovative practices in sustainable seafood production and their economic implications for coastal communities

10. Suggest adaptation strategies for coastal communities facing frequent extreme weather events. What steps can be taken to protect their homes and their livelihoods?

11. Study how marine pollution impacts coastal areas, marine biodiversity, and communities’ livelihoods

Topic #3 - Exploring marine genomics

Marine genomics provides critical clues to understanding how life evolved underwater and how marine animals contribute to the ecosystem and create new chemicals and materials. Life has evolved from the ocean, and marine genomics has been used to study the short - and long-term effects of pollution on sea animals, their evolution, and genetic commonalities between fish in a particular region, to name a few. As a marine genome researcher, you could extract meaningful data about the origin and evolution of species and how they may adapt to changing environments. 

Here are a few research ideas related to marine genomics that you could consider:

12. Examine how environmental DNA is found in aquatic ecosystems. Here, you can learn about different molecular techniques and use them in marine or freshwater invasive species management. 

13. Study how human activity (pollution, fishing, habitat destruction) has impacted marine genomes and how other anthropogenic factors have influenced adaptation and genetic diversity in marine organisms.

14. Study the genome of an endangered marine species to understand what genetic factors contribute to its vulnerability. Suggest and develop conservation strategies. 

15. Examine aquatic species that survive in extreme climates (deep-sea vents, polar regions, etc). Study their genomes to understand what genetic features allow them to thrive in such conditions.

16. Undertake a comparative genomics study: choose two organisms from different marine families and compare the similarities and differences in their genomes. Research into how their genomic variations could be due to their habitat, adaptations, and specific behavior.

Some of these ideas were proposed by independent Lumiere Mentors.

Topic #4 - Ocean-based solutions for global challenges

The ocean can address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from reducing emissions to producing clean energy, improving food security, and much more. Further, studies  show that ocean-based climate solutions can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 35%. As a researcher, you could help contribute to critical research that can help limit pollution and create sustainable practices.

Some research ideas you can consider include:

17. Investigate how introducing artificial coastal reefs and other techniques to restore habitats can help improve marine biodiversity.

18. Study the effect of plastic pollution on marine life and examine the benefits of adopting more eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging materials. Develop new methods to remove plastic from the ocean.

19. Study carbon sequestration, the process of capturing and storing excess carbon dioxide. How can coastal ecosystems like mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses, etc. help mitigate C02 emissions?

20. Study more sustainable and effective practices for ocean farming.

21. Research different marine organisms that have a positive environmental impact (for example, seaweed helps remove toxins from the water and has a negative carbon footprint).

The ideas offered here are by no means exhaustive, and you could come up with your own research interests once you’ve dug deeper into a topic that interests you!

Bonus — the Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are interested in doing university-level research in marine biology or other STEM subjects, then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online high school program for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, over 4000 students applied for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form   here.

Also check out the   Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation , a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.

Kieran Lobo is a freelance writer from India, who currently teaches English in Spain.

Image Source: Unsplash

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Marine Ecology

Research at VIMS illuminates the physiology, anatomy, and behavior of marine organisms of all sizes—from microbes and plankton to squid and sea turtles— as well as the biogeochemical processes and food-web interactions that connect them. Research sheds light on benthic ecology, biodiversity, harmful algal blooms (HABs), invasive species, and jellyfish.

Top Stories

• Worldwide experiment shows small-animal diversity benefits seagrass meadows  (May 2015) Unprecedented experiment conducted simultaneously at 15 sites shows algae-eating invertebrates control seaweeds that can smother seagrasses, and that more diverse animal communities perform this custodial service more effectively.
• Biodiversity promotes multitasking in ecosystems  (April 2015) A new study of the interplay between organisms and their environment bolsters the idea that greater biodiversity helps maintain more stable and productive ecosystems.
• Survey shows average abundance of juvenile striped bass in VA waters in 2014  (October 2014) Preliminary results from ongoing VIMS survey represent a significant increase following the below-average recruitment observed in 2012.
• New VIMS faculty member specializes in algal toxins  (September 2014) Dr. Juliette Smith’s research focuses on one of the most complex and pressing issues in aquatic science—and she wouldn’t HAB it any other way.

More stories...

Advisory Service Reports

• Virginia. Dept. of Health, Virginia. Dept. of Environmental Quality, and Virginia Institute of Marine Science. 2004. Harmful algal blooms and other organisms of concern in coastal waters. Virginia Department of Health, [Richmond, Va.].
• Haas, L. W., and K. L. Webb. 1998. Resource limitation of phytoplankton in the Virginia Chesapeake Bay and tributaries using nutrient-addition bioassays. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA.
• Sin, Y., R. L. Wetzel, and College of William and Mary. School of Marine Science. 1996. Patterns of phytoplankton abundance and nutrient concentration in the York River Estuary, Virginia: 1984-1994. College of William and Mary, School of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA.
• Musick, J. A., S. A. Bellmund, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and United States. National Marine Fisheries Service. Northeast Region. 1987. Final contract report on the ecology of sea turtles in Virginia. The Institute, Gloucester Point, VA.
• Jacobs, F., and G. C. Grant. 1978. Guidelines for zooplankton sampling in quantitative baseline and monitoring programs. for sale by the National Information Service, Corvallis, Or. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Research Laboratory ; Springfield, Va.
• Feeley, J. B., and M. L. Wass. 1971. The distribution and ecology of the Gammaridea (Crustacea : Amphipoda) of the lower Chesapeake estuaries. Virginia Institute of Marine Science,
• School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary., Gloucester Point, VA.

Five Most Recent Journal Articles

• Stone, J.P. and D.K. Steinberg, 2018. Influence of top-down control in the plankton food web on vertical carbon flux: A case study in the Chesapeake Bay. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 498 : p. 16-24. 10.1016/j.jembe.2017.10.008
• Seitz, R.D., et al., 2018. Human Influence at the Coast: Upland and Shoreline Stressors Affect Coastal Macrofauna and Are Mediated by Salinity. Estuaries and Coasts, 41 : p. S114-S130. 10.1007/s12237-017-0347-6
• Prosser, D.J., et al., 2018. Impacts of Coastal Land Use and Shoreline Armoring on Estuarine Ecosystems: an Introduction to a Special Issue. Estuaries and Coasts, 41 : p. S2-S18. 10.1007/s12237-017-0331-1
• Lynch, P.D., et al., 2018. Abundance trends of highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean: accounting for water temperature profiles. Ices Journal of Marine Science, 75 (4): p. 1427-1438. 10.1093/icesjms/fsy008
• Luellen, D.R., et al., 2018. Assessment of legacy and emerging contaminants in an introduced catfish and implications for the fishery. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25 (28): p. 28355-28366. 10.1007/s11356-018-2801-9
• Lefcheck, J.S., et al., 2018. Long-term nutrient reductions lead to the unprecedented recovery of a temperate coastal region. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (14): p. 3658-3662. 10.1073/pnas.1715798115

Read a full list of VIMS-authored journal articles related to marine life & processes.

Climate & Weather

The ocean plays a central role in global climate and regional weather patterns, including droughts, rainstorms, and hurricanes.

• Abrupt Climate Change
• Climate Change
• Ocean Warming
• Ocean-Based Climate Solutions
• Paleoclimatology
• Sea Level Rise

How the Ocean Works

Although the oceans cover most of Earth, the the tiny sliver of the coastal ocean greatly influences, and is most influenced by, human activity.

• Coastal Science
• Frozen Ocean
• Ocean Chemistry
• Ocean Circulation
• Ocean Zones
• Ocean-Atmosphere Connection
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Ocean & Human Lives

The oceans are critical to human life, and ocean scientists are working to investigate the untapped potential of the sea in order to maximize these benefits.

• Harmful Algae & Red Tides
• Natural Disasters
• Ocean Culture & History
• Underwater Archaeology

Incredible diversity exists in the ocean, from microscopic organisms to the largest animals on Earth.

• Jellyfish & Other Zooplankton
• Right Whales
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• Ocean Plants
• Emperor Penguins
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Researchers use a variety of instruments and tools to sample and study the ocean.

• Moorings & Buoys
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Sustainable Ocean

The global ocean provides food, minerals, and other valuable resources for human use.

• Aquaculture
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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Marine Science > Theses and Dissertations

Marine Science Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Iron Isotope Transformations in Saanich Inlet , Claire Onak

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Environmental chemical analysis method optimization and application to northwest Cuban marine sediment , Thea R. Bartlett

Time series analysis of Pseudo-nitzschia species composition, domoic acid, and environmental conditions in the Gulf of Maine from 2013-2020 , Christina Chadwick

Exploring the Impact of Eddies on Southern Ocean Biogeochemical Structure using BGC-Argo Float Observations , Nicola J. Guisewhite

Meta-Analysis of United States Seabird Populations Based on Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) Records (1965–2018) , Savannah Hartman

Stable Isotopic Investigation of the Hydrological Cycle of West-Central Florida , Toedsit Netratanawong

Examining paleoshorelines in the eastern Gulf of Mexico: Insights on sea level history and potential areas of interest for habitat management , Catalina Rubiano

Stable Isotope Analysis on Yellowfin and Blackfin Tuna Eye Lenses Reveals Life History Patterns in the Gulf of Mexico , Kylee M. Rullo

Stable Isotope Analysis of Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii Eye Lenses to Determine Migratory Patterns in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Using Statoliths for Age Determination , Hannah M. Schwaiger

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The effects of temperature and oxygen availability on aerobic performance in three coastal shark species; Squalus acanthias, Carcharhinus limbatus, and Carcharhinus leucas , Alyssa M. Andres

Continuous Effort Required to Maintain Populations of Outplanted Acropora cervicornis in the Florida Reef Tract, USA , Tiffany S. Boisvert

Elucidating the Sources Supplying Aerosol Iron, Zinc, and Cadmium to the Surface of the North Pacific Ocean with Stable Isotopes , Zach B. Bunnell

Quantifying Environmental Sensitivity of Marine Resources to Oil Well Blowouts in the Gulf of Mexico , Emily Chancellor

Zooplankton Biodiversity in the Northeast Gulf of Mexico and on the West Florida Shelf from 2005 - 2014 , Megan Ferguson

Coupling 210 Pb and 14 C to constrain carbon burial efficiency of blue carbon ecosystems , Tynisha R. Martin

Empirical and Modeled δ13C and δ15N Isoscapes in the Gulf of Mexico and their Application to Fish Eye Lens Migration Studies , Brianna Michaud

Chronological Accumulation of Microplastics in the Gulf of Mexico and Their Acute Effects on Coral Bleaching , Martina M. Plafcan

Determinations of Chemical Equilibria in Natural Waters Using Spectrophotometric Techniques , Katelyn M. Schockman

Interactions between juvenile estuary-dependent fishes and microalgal dynamics , Ian C. Williams

Ocean Eddies and Frontal Zones in the Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida , Yingjun Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Metabolic Rate, Critical Oxygen Partial Pressure, and Oxygen Supply Capacity of Farfantepenaeus duorarum at their Lower Thermal Limit , Alexandra L. Burns

From River to Sea: Improving Carbon System Measurement Methods for use in Rivers, Estuaries, and Oceans , Ellie Hudson-Heck

Riverine and Estuarine CO2-System Studies on the West Coast of Florida , Christopher S. Moore

Past Ice-Ocean Interactions on the Sabrina Coast shelf, East Antarctica: Deglacial to Recent Paleoenvironmental Insights from Marine Sediments , Kara J. Vadman

Investigating the Recent History of a Changing Planet with Innovative Isotopic Techniques and New Geologic Archives , Ryan A. Venturelli

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Testing the Efficacy of Recompression Tools to Reduce the Discard Mortality of Reef Fishes in the Gulf of Mexico , Oscar E. Ayala

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Organochlorine Pesticides, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Snapper (Family Lutjanidae) from Cuba and the Wider Gulf of Mexico , Brigid E. Carr

A Health Evaluation of Gulf of Mexico Golden Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , Kristina Leigh Deak

A Process-based Approach to Evaluating the Role of Organic Ligands in Trace Metal Cycling in the Marine Environment , Travis Mellett

Investigation of Retention Versus Export of Planktonic Fish Eggs in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico , Bich Vi Viviane Nguyen

Development of a Benthic Foraminifera Based Marine Biotic Index (Foram-AMBI) for the Gulf of Mexico: a Decision Support Tool , Bryan O'Malley

Plio-Pleistocene Antarctic Ice-Ocean Interactions in the Ross Sea , Catherine Prunella

Mechanisms of Carbon Movement and Stabilization in Mangrove Wetlands , Carey Schafer

Hepatobiliary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Pelagic Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico , Madison R. Schwaab

Analytical Methods and Critical Analyses Supporting Thermodynamically Consistent Characterizations of the Marine CO 2 System , Jonathan D. Sharp

Large Thecosome Pteropods of the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Species Abundance, Spatial and Vertical Distribution With a Temporal Comparison of Shell Thickness , Sarah M. Shedler

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Exposure, Hepatic Accumulation, and Associated Health Impacts in Gulf of Mexico Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) , Susan M. Snyder

Investigating the Isotope Signatures of Dissolved Iron in the Southern Atlantic Ocean , Brent A. Summers

Modeling Early Life: Ontogenetic Growth and Behavior Affect Population Connectivity in Gulf of Mexico Marine Fish , Kelly Vasbinder

Isotope-Based Methods for Evaluating Fish Trophic Geographies , Julie L. Vecchio

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Use of Spectrofluorometry to Detect Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Marine Environment , Mary Iris Abercrombie

Can Florida's Springs Coast provide a Potential Refuge for Calcifying Organisms? Evidence from Benthic Foraminifera , Kyle E. Amergian

Iron-Virus Interactions: Development and Testing of the Ferrojan Horse Hypothesis , Chelsea Bonnain

DNA Barcoding of Fish Eggs in the Gulf of Mexico , Makenzie Burrows

Ecological Responses of Seascape Heterogeneity , Dinorah H. Chacin

Species Abundance, Spatial and Vertical Distributionsof Large Heteropods (Pterotracheidae and Carinariidae)in the Northern Gulf of Mexico , Kristine A. Clark

Zooplankton Community Structure in the NE Gulf of Mexico: Impacts of Environmental Variability and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , Kate M. Dubickas

Life History Through the Eyes of a Hogfish: Evidence of Trophic Growth and Differential Juvenile Habitat Use , Meaghan E. Faletti

Population Demographics of Golden Tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps in the Gulf of Mexico , Greta J. Helmueller

Regeneration of Trace Metals During Phytoplankton Decay: An Experimental Study , Adrienne P. Hollister

Estimating Coastal Water Turbidity Using VIIRS Nighttime Measurement , Chih-Wei Huang

Untapped Potential of Gorgonian Octocorals for Detecting Environmental Change in Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA , Selena A. Kupfner Johnson

High-Resolution Investigation of Event Driven Sedimentation: Response and Evolution of the Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Sedimentary System , Rebekka A. Larson

Variations of Sedimentary Biogenic silica in the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon and IXTOC-I Oil Spill. , Jong Jin Lee

Variations of Global Ocean Salinity from Multiple Gridded Argo Products , Chao Liu

Fish Communities on Natural and Artificial Reefs in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico , Elizabeth C. Viau

Reconstructing Geographic and Trophic Histories of Fish Using Bulk and Compound-Specific Stable Isotopes from Eye Lenses , Amy A. Wallace

Studies of the Long-term Change of Global Mean and Regional Sea Surface Height , Yingli Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Ecophysiology of Oxygen Supply in Cephalopods , Matthew A. Birk

Remote Estimation of Surface Water p CO 2 in the Gulf of Mexico , Shuangling Chen

Spatial Dynamics and Productivity of a Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Fishery Following Large Scale Disturbance and Management Change , Marcy Lynn Cockrell

Quantifying the Probability of Lethal Injury to Florida Manatees Given Characteristics of Collision Events. , B. Lynn Combs

Diversity of ssDNA Phages Related to the Family Microviridae within the Ciona robusta Gut , Alexandria Creasy

Use of a Towed Camera System along the west Florida shelf: A Case Study of the Florida Middle Grounds Benthic Marine Communities , Katie S. Davis

Using Ecosystem-Based Modeling to Describe an Oil Spill and Assess the Long-Term Effects , Lindsey N. Dornberger

Extending Spectrophotometric pHT Measurements in Coastal and Estuarine Environments , Nora Katherine Douglas

Evaluating the use of larval connectivity information in fisheries models and management in the Gulf of Mexico , Michael Drexler

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding Predator-Prey Relationships in a Changing Ocean: From System Design to Education , Ileana M. Freytes-Ortiz

Application of Image Recognition Technology to Foraminiferal Assemblage Analyses , Christian Helmut Gfatter

Evaluation of trace-metal and isotopic records as techniques for tracking lifetime movement patterns in fishes , Jennifer E. Granneman

The Stability of Sand Waves in a Tidally-Influenced Shipping Channel, Tampa Bay, Florida , John Willis Gray

Application of Modern Foraminiferal Assemblages to Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction: Case Studies from Coastal and Shelf Environments , Christian Haller

Integrating Towed Underwater Video with Multibeam Acoustics for Mapping Benthic Habitat and Assessing Reef Fish Communities on the West Florida Shelf , Alexander Ross Ilich

Evaluating Beach Water Quality and Dengue Fever Risk Factors by Satellite Remote Sensing and Artificial Neural Networks , Abdiel Elias Laureano-Rosario

Microbial Associations of Four Species of Algal Symbiont-Bearing Foraminifera from the Florida Reef Tract, USA , Makenna May Martin

Environmental controls on the geochemistry of Globorotalia truncatulinoides in the Gulf of Mexico: Implications for paleoceanographic reconstructions , Caitlin Elizabeth Reynolds

Dormancy in the Amphistegina gibbosa Holobiont: Ecological and Evolutionary Implications for the Foraminifera , Benjamin J. Ross

Optical Remote Sensing of Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico , Shaojie Sun

Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Pelagic Sargassum in the Intra-Americas Sea and Atlantic Ocean , Mengqiu Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Packaging of Genetic Material by Gene Transfer Agents (GTAs) Produced by Marine Roseobacter Species and Their Effect on Stimulating Bacterial Growth , Shahd Bader Aljandal

Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Soil Composition and Accumulation Rates in Mangrove Wetlands , Joshua L. Breithaupt

Characterizing Benthic Habitats Using Multibeam Sonar and Towed Underwater Video in Two Marine Protected Areas on the West Florida Shelf, USA , Jennifer L. Brizzolara

Latitudinal Position and Trends of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and its Relationship with Upwelling in the Southern Caribbean Sea and Global Climate Indices , Kaitlyn E. Colna

Calibration-free Spectrophotometric Measurements of Carbonate Saturation States in Seawater , Erin E. Cuyler

Viruses in marine animals: Discovery, detection, and characterizarion , Elizabeth Fahsbender

Quantity Trumps Quality: Bayesian Statistical Accumulation Modeling Guides Radiocarbon Measurements to Construct a Chronology in Real-time , Devon Robert Firesinger

Characterizing Gross Lesions in Corals on Fringing Reefs of Taiwan and Hainan Island, China , Adrienne George

Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary , Megan E. Hepner

Investigating Marine Resources in the Gulf of Mexico at Multiple Spatial and Temporal Scales of Inquiry , Joshua Paul Kilborn

Southern Ocean Transport by Combining Satellite Altimetry and Temperature/Salinity Profile Data , Michael Kosempa

Role of viruses within metaorganisms: Ciona intestinalis as a model system , Brittany A. Leigh

Evaluating satellite and supercomputing technologies for improved coastal ecosystem assessments , Matthew James Mccarthy

Stable Isotopes in the Eye Lenses of Doryteuthis plei: Exploring Natal Origins and Migratory Patterns in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico , Brenna A. Meath

Genetic Identification and Population Characteristics of Deep-Sea Cephalopod Species in the Gulf of Mexico and Northwestern Atlantic Ocean , Amanda Sosnowski

Investigation of Sediment Ridges Using Bathymetry and Backscatter near Clearwater, Florida , Lewis Stewart

Resolving chronological and temperature constraints on Antarctic deglacial evolution through improved dating methodology , Cristina Subt

Subtropical benthos vary with reef type, depth, and grazing intensity , Kara R. Wall

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Diversity and Distribution of Diatom Endosymbionts in Amphistegina spp. (Foraminifera) Based on Molecular and Morphological Techniques , Kwasi H. Barnes

Abundance of Archaias angulatus on the West Florida Coast Indicates the Influence of Carbonate Alkalinity over Salinity , Sean Thomas Beckwith

Resource Use Overlap in a Native Grouper and Invasive Lionfish , Joseph Schmidt Curtis

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Research Topics

Scripps Oceanography researchers work in a variety of fields in biology, earth science, and oceans and atmospheric science. Select any of the topics below for a sampling of researchers in that field, labs and centers associated with the topic, and news stories about the work. 

• Biological Impacts of Climate Change
• Chemical Ecology
• Coastal Ecology
• Conservation Ecology
• Coral Reef Biology and Ecology
• Deep-Sea Biology
• Developmental Biology of Marine Organisms
• Ecosystem Dynamics and Theory
• Environmental Toxicology
• Fisheries Biology and Management
• Genomics, Metagenomics, and Bioinformatics
• Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology
• Life History Strategies and Behaviors
• Marine Benthic Ecology
• Marine Chemical Biology and Biotechnology
• Marine Mammal Biology
• Marine Microbiology
• Natural Products Chemistry
• Phylogenetics, Systematics and Biogeography
• Physiology of Marine Organisms
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Announcing ‘Explore our planet’ public event

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24 October 2024

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22 October 2024

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8 October 2024

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Pre-announcement: future leaders fellowships: round 10.

Funding to support ambitious research and innovation across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s remit. You must be an early career researcher or innovator who is either:

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• developing your own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Renewal Meeting 11 (Invite only)

Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) award holders have the opportunity to extend their four-year fellowship by up to a further three years. The renewal funding will continue to support the development of a fellow and further the fellow’s work to undertake adventurous, ambitious programmes that tackle difficult and novel challenges.

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