Part 4: Biological Oceanography
Life in the Ocean
Biological oceanography studies marine organisms and their interactions with the ocean environment. From microscopic phytoplankton to giant whales, marine life forms complex ecosystems that drive global biogeochemical cycles and support fisheries.
Topics in This Part
4.1 Marine Ecosystems
Pelagic, benthic, coastal, and deep-sea ecosystems
4.2 Phytoplankton
Primary producers, blooms, nutrient limitation
4.3 Zooplankton
Grazers, vertical migration, copepods and krill
4.4 Nekton & Benthos
Fish, marine mammals, seafloor communities
4.5 Marine Food Webs
Trophic levels, energy transfer, microbial loop
4.6 Deep-Sea Life
Adaptations to pressure, darkness, chemosynthesis
Primary Production
$$\text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{light} \rightarrow \text{C}_6\text{H}_{12}\text{O}_6 + \text{O}_2$$
~50 Gt C/yr
Marine primary production
~50%
Of global photosynthesis
~50%
Of Earth's oxygen
UCLA: Blue Planet Oceanography
UCLA lectures covering marine biology and ocean ecosystems.
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 11
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 12
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 13
Blue Planet: Oceanography — Lec 14
Oceanography Lectures
Lectures on marine biological productivity and ecosystems.
Primary Productivity
Animals of the Pelagic Environment
Animals of the Benthic Environment
CLEX: Ocean Primary Production
A lecture on oceanic primary production and its role in marine ecosystems.
Oceanic Primary Production