Chapter One: The Science of Marine Biology

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, expeditions, institutions, tools, and concepts introduced in Chapter One: The Science of Marine Biology.

Marine Biology

The study of organisms that live in the sea, including all waters with some salinity; an applied branch of biology that integrates geology, chemistry, physics, meteorology, zoology, and botany.

Estuary

A coastal zone where fresh river water mixes with seawater, creating habitats with variable salinity.

Oceanography

The scientific study of the ocean’s physical, chemical, and geological properties, including tides, currents, waves, and seawater composition.

Salinity

The concentration of dissolved salts in water; a key factor defining marine environments.

Pacific Islanders

Early seafarers who explored and settled vast areas of the Pacific Ocean long before European voyages.

Phoenicians

Ancient Mediterranean sailors who extensively navigated regional seas, contributing to early marine knowledge.

Aristotle

Greek philosopher (4th century BCE) who provided some of the earliest written descriptions of marine organisms.

Captain James Cook

British explorer whose 1768–1779 voyages mapped coastlines, collected marine specimens, and were first to record the Antarctic ice fields.

HMS Beagle

Survey ship that carried Charles Darwin around the world from 1831–1836, enabling critical marine and terrestrial observations.

Charles Darwin

Naturalist whose observations aboard the HMS Beagle led to the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Natural Selection

Darwin’s principle that organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce, driving evolutionary change.

Edward Forbes

19th-century scientist who showed that seafloor species distribution varies greatly with depth.

Challenger Expedition

1872–1876 voyage, the first major expedition devoted to marine science; discovered thousands of new species and produced 50 data volumes.

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Large submarine mountain chain first charted in detail during the Challenger Expedition.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Renowned marine research center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Marine Biological Laboratory

Neighboring Woods Hole facility dedicated to biological research on marine organisms.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Major U.S. marine science center located in La Jolla, California.

Friday Harbor Laboratories

University of Washington marine research station in the San Juan Islands, Washington State.

Remote Sensing

The use of satellites to observe and measure large areas of the ocean surface.

Sonar

Sound navigation and ranging technology used to map seafloor depths and underwater features.

Scuba

Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus that allows divers extended access to shallow marine environments.

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

Tethered robotic submersible that explores marine habitats too deep or dangerous for human divers.

Research Vessel

Ship equipped as a floating laboratory, enabling weeks or months of continuous marine research at sea.

Marine Oxygen Production

The generation of a significant portion of Earth’s oxygen by marine organisms, especially phytoplankton.

Climate Regulation by Oceans

Buffering effect whereby the high heat capacity of seawater moderates global and coastal temperatures year-round.

Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae

Caribbean soft coral whose compounds are investigated for pharmaceutical applications.

Conus magnus

Cone snail species whose venom peptides are being developed as potent painkillers.

Remote At-Sea Science Expedition

Oceanographic research conducted entirely from ships or remote platforms without returning to land-based facilities.