Important Research Areas In Marine Biology

Marine biology contributes a large amount of information to the fields of environmental biology, economics, fisheries research, and biotechnology. Because the field is relatively young, there is still much to be learned from and about the animals and plants that live in the ocean. Marine organisms influence local environmental conditions and economies. A simple, but powerful example of this is the red tide, which is usually caused by a particular type of phytoplankton called a dinoflagellate. Under certain environmental conditions, these dinoflagellates grow extremely quickly, blooming in bays and near shore regions of the ocean. In some instances they can cause fish kills and infect shellfish with poisonous substances, which could make the people that eat them sick. Much work is underway by marine biologists in order to understand the conditions that cause these harmful blooms so that they can predict their effects and when they will occur.

Many marine biologists study ways to improve mariculture, which is the farming of marine fish, shellfish, and seaweeds. Work includes developing types of animals and plants that are easy and economical to farm. For example, the triploid oyster is an oyster that has a longer harvest period than those found in nature. In addition, work is underway to improve the health of fish raised in pens and to decrease the pollution caused by marine farms.

Much research in marine biology contributes to the fields of biotechnology and molecular biology. Many marine animals and plants have been found to contain chemicals with industrial uses. For example, some phytoplankton produce sunscreens that can be incorporated into lotions. Other marine invertebrates produce chemicals that are mixed with paint to discourage the growth of barnacles on ships and moorings. Molecular probes (special molecules that can identify other molecules) are used in marine ecology to detect the presence of harmful viruses and bacteria on beaches and near-shore waters. Other techniques from molecular biology are used to determine if fish and marine invertebrates have been exposed to poisonous pollutants. Molecular biological techniques are also being used to analyze the DNA (genetic substance) in various marine organisms to try to understand the past relationships among species.

TEXT B

Marine Mammals

VOCABULARY LIST TO TEXT B

Exercise 47. Read and translate the following words and word combinations from English into Russian.

Marine mammals, ancestors, posterior (hind) limbs, shrunk, holes, cylindrical body shape, convergent evolution, water repellent undercoat, blubber, buoyancy, pinnipeds, sirenians, cetaceans, orcas, respiration, Weddell seal, Baleen whales, Toothed whale, bow waves, sophisticated communication, slapping, humpback whales sing, vocal cords, echolocation, sperm whale, prey, sea otter, pinnipeds, physiological similarities, narwhal, porpoise, physiological adaptation, manatees, depleting stocks, cues,  bradycardia.