Where have we been, and where are we going?

Why should we study the marine habitat? Marine life provides different resources Widely used for recreation and essential in many coastal economies Problems created by the marine environment Problems created by man

The History of Marine Biology Man has been attracted to the ocean since the Stone Age

The History of Marine Biology Aristotle Lived in the 4th century B.C. (considered the first marine biologist)

The History of Marine Biology Aristotle Described many forms of marine life Created a simplified naming system

During the 9th and 10th century Vikings (Leif Eriksson) explored much of the North Atlantic

Ben Franklin: charted the Gulf Stream 1770

As navigation skills improved so did our knowledge of the environment…

James Cook James Cook was one of the first captains to make scientific observations Carried an accurate chronometer and a full-time naturalist In 3 voyages he explored all of the world’s oceans Killed in 1779 by native Hawaiians Through his example in the 19th century most ships carried naturalists James Cook

James Cook Francesco Bartolozzi and William Byrne The death of Captain Cook Artist’s rendition of the death of Capt. Cook by native Hawaiians

Charles Darwin In 1831, the H.M.S. Beagle sailed around the world for 5 years carrying Charles Darwin What are Darwin’s notable contributions to science and marine biology? Charles Darwin

Atoll Reefs and Barnacles

Darwin collected and studied numerous marine organisms during this famous voyage, which eventually lead to his famous subsidence theory of coral reef formation (for atolls), and a classification of barnacles that is still useful today. Observations he made on the Beagle expedition also provided him with the ideas that he later used to formulate his theory of evolution and natural selection.

Edward Forbes (1815-1854) One of the first true marine biologists Naturalist on the Beacon and sampled the bottom using a dredge Discovered that animal density decreased with depth and that species diversity changes with depth Up to this point it was believed that no life existed in the oceans depths

The British are Coming!! Challenger In 1872 the British government funded the first major oceanographic expedition under the leadership of Charles Wyville Thompson A light warship, the Challenger was used It took 19 years and 50 volumes to publish all the results 4,700 new species were discovered New standards were set in studying the ocean. Meticulous records were kept and careful measurements were taken Challenger

HMS Challenger Voyage ALL OVER THE WORLD!

*First Lab was established in 1872 by German scientists in Naples Italy Marine Labs

Marine Laboratories Marine labs were created at the shore to tackle long term studies of the marine habitat The first major American lab was the Woods Hole lab in Massachusetts http://www.whoi.edu/home/ Another important lab was created in Pacific Grove, California. The Scripps Institute http://www-sio.ucsd.edu/ These and many other marine labs are crucial in the growth of marine biology today Woods Hole Institute

World War II and the development of SONAR

1960 - Trieste bathyscaphe dive United States and Swiss team made the deepest manned dive (to 10,916 meters depth) in the Mariana Trench. It took 5 hours to fall 7 miles At this depth, the pressure is over 8 tons per square inch.

Marine Biology Today The description of animals and the general picture of marine biology is now well understood Marine biologist are concerned with why patterns exist and how animals live

Marine Biology Today Because of advances in technologies new areas are able to be explored Submersibles (Alvin) and ROV’s are used to explore the deep sea and hydrothermal vents Alvin

ROV – Remotely Operated vehicle

Aquarius Habitat

UNCW’s Center for Marine Science http://uncw.edu/cms/

Coastal Studies Institute http://csi.northcarolina.edu/