Module 8: Biological Oceanography

The oceans are teeming with life! Now that you have learned about the geography, physics, and chemistry of the ocean, you will begin to examine the biology. In this module, you will learn how scientists categorize something as "life" using seven important characteristics. Also, you will explore the origin of life in the oceans starting with the first organisms. Exciting experiments led to the theories that we have today. Then, you will learn how marine organisms are classified so that scientists can organize and study them using a scientific naming system. Organisms are grouped or classified according to similarities among characteristics such as habitat and mobility. Finally, you will learn about the special adaptations that marine organisms have in order to live successfully in their oceanic environments.

Getting Started

How much do you already know about biological oceanography? In this non-graded interactivity, follow the instructions on each question slide. Click SUBMIT to check your responses. Click the player button to begin.

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

adaptation	class	kingdom	prebiotic soup
amino acid	classification	methane	prokaryotic
ammonia	countershading	mobility	Protista
ancestor	cyanobacteria	Monera	Protozoa
Animalia	ectothermic	natural selection	species
autotrophic	eukaryotic	nekton	Stanley Miller
bacterioplankton	evolution	nucleus	streamline
basins	family	offspring	swim bladder
benthos	Fungi	order	temperature gradient
Big Bang Theory	genus	organelles	transparent
blubber	gills	phylogenetic classification	UV light
buoyancy	habitat	phylum	variability
camouflage	heterotrophic	phytoplankton	vertebrates
carbon dioxide	hydrogen	plankton	virioplankton
chemosynthesis	hydrothermal vent	Plantae	zooplankton