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Marine Biologists Help Ensure Survival of All Species on Earth

Marine Biology is the scientific study of life forms that make their homes in the ocean, or other marine bodies of water. It's a diverse science, due to the vast resources of marine life. Marine biologists can and do perform many different job functions. In other words, if you are a marine biologist, there are many avenues of employment open to you.

As a marine biologist, you could study ocean habitats, such as coral reefs, tide pools, kelp forests, rock formations, sandy ocean bottoms, or oceanic trenches. You could also study marine life itself, such as whales, dolphins, or other sea life; or you could study microorganisms, like plankton, bacteria, or marine viruses. These studies are important, not only to understanding marine life, but to understanding the basis for all life on earth. For instance, one particular type of ocean bacteria, called cyanobacteria, played an important role in enabling all life forms to evolve on earth. These bacteria produced oxygen, which generated the oxygen now present in Earth's atmosphere, enabling all life forms to exist. Scientists were able to determine this based on fossilized remains, found on the ocean's floor, of lime secretions produced by these bacteria.

As a marine biologist, you may participate in similar studies of ocean life, which can tell us more about the evolvement of life on earth. Other studies may help preserve ocean life in the future, or even tell us more about how humans can preserve our environment in order to ensure our survival. For instance, scientists have discovered that mass dumping of sewage into the ocean causes certain algae species to undergo population explosions called 'blooms', otherwise known as red tides because of the pigment in the algae. These algae blooms produce biotoxins, which are transferred to fish and other marine animals that feed on the algae. As these biotoxins are dangerous to fish, mass quantities of fish and other ocean life forms die as a result. Often, literally thousands of dead fish wash up on shores and beaches all over the U. S. as a result of these red tides, which often could be prevented by reducing the amount of pollution we dump into our oceans.

Needless to say, marine biology is an interesting and worthwhile profession. Most marine biologists are intensely interested in protecting our oceans, believing that by protecting the ocean environment, we ensure survival for all species. Marine biologists usually spend the majority of their time in laboratories, although in some instances, they may do field research, requiring studies out of doors in all types of weather.

The educational requirements vary, although for research, usually a PhD is required. However, entry-level positions in the field can be obtained with only a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree and 7 to 10 years of experience in the field can also qualify you to obtain a research position. As with educational requirements, salaries for marine biologists are varied, ranging anywhere from $40,000 a year to $110,000 a year.

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