Marine Biology

Description

Marine Biology is the observational and experimental study of all aspects of the physiology, genetics, behavior, ecology and evolution of marine organisms. A primary goal of marine biology is to gain an understanding of the adaptations that organisms have evolved in order to function in diverse marine habitats. This endeavor invariably requires application of a variety of biological tools, ranging from molecular genetics, biochemistry and cellular biology to theoretical ecology and paleontology.

Diverse research interests are represented at the molecular, cellular, organismal and population levels of organization. Faculty research interests can be roughly divided into four areas:

• Microbiology:
  the ecology of marine viruses, bacteria and phytoplankton, and the roles these organisms play in marine food webs and biogeochemical cycles. Also of interest are microbial symbioses in hydrothermal vent orgamisms, bioluminescent fish and invertebrates, and reef building corals, microbial adaptations to pressure and temperature extremes, and the use of bacteria in bioremediation and biotechnology.
  
• Cellular and developmental biology:
  biochemistry of fertilization and embryogenesis of sea urchins, gene activation during development, evolution of developmental patterning.
• Physiology:
  respiration and energy metabolism in invertebrates and fish, biomechanics of locomotion and connective tissue, sensory biology and bioluminescence.
• Ecology and evolutionary biology and conservation:
  community structure in the deep sea benthos, coral reef ecology, genetic structure of invertebrate populations, invertebrate and fish taxonomy and biogeography, evolution and paleobiology of colonial life, speciation in the sea.

Research in marine biology relies on a remarkable array of modern technologies. While many current projects rely on the full range of biochemical, molecular and cell biological techniques (e.g., gene cloning and expression, automated DNA sequencing, in situ hybridization, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, optical and electron microscopy), others routinely employ oceanographic vessels and submersibles and their associated monitoring and sampling gear. Approximately 20 independent research labs comprise the core of the marine biology program.

Program of Study

Programs of study vary widely among the curricular programs, but generally first-year students are expected to enroll in core courses that cover physical, geological, chemical and biological oceanography, marine biology, and other topics recommended by the student's faculty advisor and first year committee. During the second year students are actively formulating their own research problems and are engaged in research. Furthermore, during their third to fifth year they are working toward writing their dissertations. The interdisciplinary nature of research in marine and earth sciences is emphasized; students are encouraged to take courses in several programs and departments, and to select research problems of interdisciplinary character.

Entering graduate students will be expected to gain a varied research experience in one or more laboratories during their first year. In the spring term of their first year at SIO, students will present their first year research in the form of a paper and short talk. They will be expected to demonstrate competence in the material covered in the following courses: SIO210, Physical Oceanography; SIO260, Marine Chemistry; SIO280, Biological Oceanography; and SIO290, Marine Biology, as well as any other course work recommended by the advisory committee. After the first year they are expected to enroll and actively participate in a seminar course during one quarter of each year. Students in their third year and thereafter will participate in the SIO291 Presentations class. Individual advisors and/or Doctoral Committees may require foreign languages of individual candidates.