marine biology topics for presentation

The ocean matters

The ocean covers more than two-thirds of Earth's surface, it makes life as we know it possible, and it sustains human society. Yet the global ocean is largely unexplored and unknown. What we do learn never ceases to amaze or to provoke more questions. These topics will help you begin to explore the ocean and its vital importance to Earth and everything that lives on it.

Climate & Weather

The ocean plays a central role in global climate and regional weather patterns, including droughts, rainstorms, and hurricanes.

• Abrupt Climate Change
• Climate Change
• Ocean Warming
• Ocean-Based Climate Solutions
• Paleoclimatology
• Sea Level Rise

How the Ocean Works

Although the oceans cover most of Earth, the the tiny sliver of the coastal ocean greatly influences, and is most influenced by, human activity.

• Coastal Science
• Frozen Ocean
• Ocean Chemistry
• Ocean Circulation
• Ocean Zones
• Ocean-Atmosphere Connection
• Seafloor & Below

Ocean & Human Lives

The oceans are critical to human life, and ocean scientists are working to investigate the untapped potential of the sea in order to maximize these benefits.

• Harmful Algae & Red Tides
• Natural Disasters
• Ocean Culture & History
• Underwater Archaeology

Incredible diversity exists in the ocean, from microscopic organisms to the largest animals on Earth.

• Jellyfish & Other Zooplankton
• Right Whales
• Marine Microbes
• Ocean Plants
• Emperor Penguins
• Sharks & Other Fish

Researchers use a variety of instruments and tools to sample and study the ocean.

• Moorings & Buoys
• Ocean Modeling
• Ocean Observatories
• Underwater Vehicles

Sustainable Ocean

The global ocean provides food, minerals, and other valuable resources for human use.

• Aquaculture
• Marine Protected Areas
• Offshore Wind
• Seafloor Mining

• Environmental DNA (eDNA)
• Marine Mammals

• Global Warming Paper Topics Topics: 184
• Biodiversity Paper Topics
• Recycling Topics Topics: 123
• Pollution Research Topics Topics: 236
• Air Pollution Essay Topics Topics: 119
• Climate Change Essay Topics Topics: 317
• Earthquake Essay Topics Topics: 107
• Climate Essay Topics Topics: 260
• Renewable Energy Paper Topics Topics: 118
• Ecosystem Essay Topics Topics: 71
• Alternative Energy Paper Topics Topics: 92
• Hurricane Research Topics Topics: 139
• Ocean Topics Topics: 92
• Waste Disposal Paper Topics Topics: 110
• Environmental Issues Research Topics Topics: 111

124 Marine Life Biology Topics

Want to explore marine life? The captivating world of oceans and seas is full of marine biology research questions. Here, find marine biology topics about an array of species and habitats, the balance of Earth’s environment, and invaluable resources to humanity. Get inspired by marine ecosystems and the challenges they face due to human activities. Let’s dive in!

🌊 TOP 7 Marine Biology Topics

🏆 best marine biology research questions, 🎓 interesting marine biology topics, 👍 catchy marine biology research topics, 💡 simple marine biology topics, ❓ more marine biology research questions.

• Rising Sea Levels: History, Causes and Effects
• North Sea and Baltic Sea Meeting Phenomenon
• The Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Agents on Marine Mammals
• Rising Sea Levels: Solutions to Global Concern
• Chilean Sea Bass on the Menu and Its Impact on the Environment
• Resolute Marine Energy: Power in Waves
• Impact of Human Activities on Marine Ecosystems
• Description of the Pacific Ocean The paper states that the Pacific Ocean is tranquil, yet it forms one of the world’s largest homes and assists in regulating the global climate.
• Protection of Marine Environment Under International Law: Treaties and International Legal Instruments Laws touching on the protection of the marine environment have evolved. The evolution is made evident in this paper by analyzing the various international legal instruments.
• Cyclone Asani in the North Indian Ocean Area Asani is the first cyclone to develop in the North Indian Ocean area of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea in 2022.
• Marine Transport System Efficiency Increasing The paper takes an in-depth look into the steps and measures that can be taken to enhance the efficiency of maritime transport. Such strategies can be used to avert the looming transport crisis.
• Marine Pollution: Causes and Consequences Changes in marine and ocean conditions can directly affect the global climate because of their close connection to the planet’s energy fluxes and biogeochemical cycles.
• Ocean Research vs. Outer Space Exploration Both the study of the outer space and the research of the processes that take place on Earth, particularly, in the ocean, are crucial for facilitating the safety of the humankind.
• Marine Environmental High Risk Areas Definition Marine Environmental High risk Areas was first used by Lord Donaldson in Report titled Safe Ships, Clean Seas.He defined these areas as locations with high environmental sensitivity.
• The Climate Change Impact on Sea Levels and Coastal Zones This paper summarizes the effects of climate change on seawater levels and subsequent effects on the coastal zones.
• The Problem of Ocean Pollution Today One of the main causes of the oceans being polluted is trash that includes various manufactured products like plastic bottles, shopping bags, food wrappers, and cigarettes.
• History of Sea Navigation This paper includes a brief description of major milestones in the history of navigation starting from ancient times up to modern days.
• International Marine Pollution Law International Marine law is essential in governing the natural resources from illegal acts of pollution that poses dangers to marine life and the life depending on the waters of oceans or seas.
• Marine Pollution in Australia This paper will set out to engage in a detailed discussion about marine pollution in Australia. It will begin by highlighting the major sources of marine pollution.
• Earth Science: The Deep Sea This article discusses the importance of the marine environment to life on the planet and the need to study the impact of deep-sea mining on the marine environment.
• Saudi Marine Construction Projects and Risks The Saudi Arabian marine construction works revolve around the establishment of ports and harbors. The ports must be constructed to facilitate tourist arrival.
• The Ocean Clean Up Company’s Trial in Guatemala Ocean Clean Up has done an excellent job of creating the first scalable solution to efficiently intercept plastic in rivers before it reaches the oceans.
• Marine Organisms an Adaptations The important aspects of marine biology is the study of how marine organisms exhibit a variety of physiological adaptation that makes them suitable for the marine environment.
• Fiji’s Integrated Ocean Policy for Sustainable Blue Economy Examine Fiji’s approach to a sustainable blue economy through an integrated ocean policy, addressing challenges like overfishing and pollution.
• Plastic Crises in the Ocean and Effects on Marine Ecosystems The accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans causes physical damage to marine species and habitats, leading to the spread of invasive species and diseases.
• Teleological Insight Into Army of Sea Urchins The teleological argumentative construct focuses on the relationship between the design and the creator akin to the apt performance across the sea’s natural environment.
• Impact of Human Behavior on Ocean and Ocean Acidification The paper states that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has been increasing over the years due to human behavior and actions.
• The Aral Sea Shrinking Process The Aral Sea is located in Central Asia, and it is a form of a large endorheic lake. The issue surrounding the given body of water is that it has been shrinking since the 1960s.
• The Importance of Marine Spatial Planning The paper states that improvements in marine spatial planning (MSP) can positively impact the economy, society, and the environment.
• Floating Cities and Rising Sea Levels Global warming is an immense challenge in today’s society. The results of such an issue are the rising sea levels that make many communities flee their homes.
• Aquaculture: Second Chance for Marine Life
• How the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Affected Marine Life in the Surrounding Waters
• Marine Pollution and Its Effect on Marine Life
• Not Finding Nemo: How Climate Change Affects Marine Life
• Environmental Degradation: Primitive Organisms vs Modern Day Marine Life
• Marine Life and Its Systematic Evolution
• Human Impact Upon the Environment: Ocean Pollution and Marine Life
• Marine Life, Ocean Pollution, and Other Human Environmental Impacts
• How You Can Help Protect Marine Life While Diving
• Global Marine Life Affected by the Constant Rise of Water Temperature Due to Global Warming
• 10 Easy Ways to Help Protect Marine Life
• How the Plate Tectonics Theory Help Explains the Existence of Fossilized Marine Life in Rocks Atop the Ural Mountains
• Global Warming and Climate Change: Melting the Marine Life
• Understanding the Detrimental Effects of Harmful Algae in the Scientific Study of Marine Life
• The Alarming Danger Facing the Marine Life
• Humans’ Impact on Marine Life and What We Can Do to Stop Environmental Cataclysmic Effect
• How Water Pollution Affects Marine Life
• Marine Life: Environments and Marine Animals in the Deep Sea
• The Coral Reef Ecosystem: Marine Life and Surviving Underwater
• Mass Extinction, Human Impact, and Effects on Marine Life
• How Human Beings Have Destroyed Marine Life
• Dangers of Microplastics to Marine Ecosystems To reduce aquatic pollution and its impact, people should keep the environment clean by disposing wisely of the plastics they use.
• The Raising of Sea Levels in Lithuania This study will explore climate change in Lithuania, providing ways in which a global citizen can help and the role of NGOs in elevating the issue.
• How El Niño Affects Ocean Circulation and How Climate Is Impacted Climate change research has progressed to the point that paleoclimatic data may now provide trustworthy information on the responses of the climate system.
• Impact of Marine Plastic Debris on Environment The prevalence of marine pollution by plastics makes the ecosystem dangerous for ocean creatures and human beings.
• Papahanaumokuakea Plastic Sea Pollution This paper discusses the article devoted to the plastic sea pollution affecting Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monuments.
• Marine Resource Economics: Value Addition on Tuna Fish By-Products There is a very huge potential for value addition to by-products of Tuna fish around the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean which is untapped.
• The Consequences of the Ocean Acidification The paper aims to explore the phenomena of ocean acidification and define human-caused threats to the health of the world ocean and the corresponding consequences.
• Whirlpool in the Sea off the Coast of Scotland Near Ayrshire Due to Waste Water Stunning drone images near Lendalfoot in South Ayrshire captured a glimpse of a mammoth whirlpool off the Scottish west coast.
• The Turtle-Headed Sea Snake’s Habitation Areas The paper aims to know the exact areas that turtle-headed sea snakes inhabit and quantify the number of such species within that vicinity.
• Sea Level Rise: Major Causes and Effects This paper includes a brief description of the major causes and effects of sea level rise, as well as measures people undertake to address the issue.
• Trans-ocean Transportation: Environmental Study The ocean has always been an inseparable part of human existence. It serves as a source of food and a transportation network, linking all continents.
• Modelling in the Marine Environment With climate change rendering hurricanes more deadly, it is essential to gain a more in-depth understanding of such phenomenon as storm surge.
• Marine Protected Areas: Sustain of the Marine Ecosystem The current research is expected to address the problem of overfishing and prove that MPAs help to sustain biodiversity.
• Analysis of Sea Lampreys Problem Sea lampreys reduce the fish population, which affects the livelihoods of people. They negatively influence economic activities such as tourism and fishing in lakes.
• Marine Pollution and Its Anthropogenic Factors This paper examines the causes of the environmental problem of marine pollution, primarily related to anthropogenic factors, and considers its consequences.
• Plastic Contamination and Marine Ecosystem Safety Every year humanity creates innovative technologies, some of which have the potential to change the order of life fundamentally.
• Marine Habitats: Coral Reef Ecosystem The coral reefs’ biodiversity presents a specific interest as one of the most stressed world’s ecosystems with an intricate relationship.
• West Indian Ocean Coelacanth (Latimeria Chalumnae) Latimeria Chalumnae is an exception – a living fossil and a fish that is closer to tetrapods, including humans, rather than to the ray-finned fish, from an evolutionary standpoint.
• Marine Biology: Description and the Key Features Marine Biology is an open area of the coast line that is exposed to ocean currents and tides. This is a backwater area with occasional flooding of sea water.
• Law of the Sea Treaty: The Use of the World’s Seas The purpose of the treaty was to come up with a comprehensive rules governing the oceans and replacing the previous conventions of 1958 and that of 1961.
• Environmental Issues: Plastics in the Ocean The circular economy encourages recycling and reuse and this approach could be used effectively to mitigate the problem of plastic marine pollution in the long term.
• The WWF’s Environmental Advertisement on Marine and Ocean Pollution Visual image can also make a convincing point, and this is particularly applicable to social and environmental advertising.
• Geologic Time and the World Ocean: Diving a Bit Deeper Studying the history of the Earth’s climate means analyzing the archaeological traces that the previous eras have left; and nowhere is the search for these traces is as efficient as it is in the ocean.
• Marine Sediments Types: Lithogenous, Biogenous, Hydrogenous, and Cosmogenous Sediments Modern science determines four basic types of sediments. These are lithogenous, biogenous, hydrogenous, and cosmogenous. They all have unique characteristics that determine their structure.
• Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea: Captain Nemo’s Changes Captain Nemo is a sea researcher, inventor, and owner of the “Nautilus” submarine. This character is the embodiment of a true hero, courageous, decisive, and fair.
• Sea Dumping: Legal and Ethical Issues The paper explores legal and ethical issues regarding the sea dumping and examines the approaches used by cruise lines to increase the social responsibility.
• What Lurks in the Depth of the Ocean? A range of technological advances and solutions for economic issues pose a tangible threat to environment, and oceans are by far the most vulnerable element of the latter.
• Archeological Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls William Albright, who is one of the popular archaeologists claimed that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was one of the chief breakthroughs in the 20th century.
• How Plastic Pollution Can Impact Both Marine Life and Human Health
• Marine Life Can Bounce Back by 2050 — But Only if We Act Now
• Lebanon Oil Spill Threatens Bird and Marine Life
• How Will Marine Life Adapt to Warmer Oceans?
• Creating Communal Value Through Marine Life Protection
• Chasing the Future: How Will Ocean Change Affect Marine Life?
• Factors That Threaten Marine Life and Solutions to It
• The Structuring Role of Marine Life in Open Ocean Habitat
• Maintaining and Protecting Marine Life
• Pollution: Marine Life’s Number One Enemy Spreads Its Negative Effects on the Oceans
• Marine Life Encounters: Whale Sharks of Isla Mujeres
• How You Can Protect the Ocean and Help Save Marine Life From Home
• Global Warming Hits Marine Life Hardest
• Protecting Marine Life: 7 Reasons Why We Need to Act Now
• Marine Life Is Fleeing the Equator to Cooler Waters: History Tells Us This Could Trigger a Mass Extinction Event
• The Issue of Plastic Harming the Marine Life
• Ocean and Marine Life Protection Acts and Treaties
• Marine Life Is Facing Threats Never Seen Before: The Menace of Overfishing
• Six Ocean-Friendly Habits to Help Protect Marine Life
• The Protection of Marine Life and Its Legal Aspects
• What Are the Threats That Marine Life Is Facing?
• How Can You Protect the Ocean and Help Save Marine Life From Home?
• What Marine Life Is Most Affected by Pollution?
• How Much Marine Life Is Killed by Plastic?
• What Is the Biggest Cause of Marine Life Death?
• How Can We Save and Protect Marine Life?
• What Is Marine Life Conservation?
• Can We Survive Without Marine Life?
• How Is Climate Change Affecting Marine Life in the Arctic?
• What Is Marine Biology and Why Is It Important?
• Will Marine Life Face Mass Extinction if Oceans Continue to Warm?
• Is Marine Biology a Part of Environmental Science?
• What Is the Biggest Threat to Marine Life?
• How Does Marine Biology Affect the Environment?
• What Caused the Extinction of Marine Life?
• How Has Marine Biology Helped the World?
• Why Is Marine Life Important to the Environment?
• How Can Studying Marine Biology Help to Conserve Marine Diversity?
• What Is the Greatest Contribution of Marine Biology?
• Is Marine Biology Important to Humans?
• What Types of Pollution Affect Marine Life?
• How Does Marine Biology Affect Society?
• What Is the Role of Ethics in Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology?
• How Does Marine Biology Help the Environment?
• What Are the Benefits of Marine Biology?

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These essay examples and topics on Marine Life were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

Biology 223/323: Topics in Marine Biology

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Marine Biology: Function, Biodiversity, Ecology: New 6th edition, 2021

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Marine biology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Marine biology is the study of life in the oceans and brackish waters, which ranges from archaea and bacteria to marine mammals, and includes organisms such as corals that affect the shape of the seafloor. This may also include human modifications to ocean biology, such as fisheries or the effects of overfishing.

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Sterolysin from a 1950s culture of Karlodinium veneficum (aka Gymnodinium veneficum Ballantine) forms lethal sterol dependent membrane pores

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Climate change is associated with higher phytoplankton biomass and longer blooms in the West Antarctic Peninsula

Using 25 years of satellite data, this study presents evidence that phytoplankton biomass and bloom phenology in the West Antarctic Peninsula are significantly changing as a response to anthropogenic climate change. These findings raise important questions regarding the effect of these ecological changes on global carbon sequestration and Antarctic food webs in the future.

• Afonso Ferreira
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Metaproteomic analysis decodes trophic interactions of microorganisms in the dark ocean

This study analysed metaproteomic samples collected from the Pacific, Atlantic and Southern Oceans to reveal size-fractionated patterns of the structure and function of the marine microbiota protein pool in the water column.

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Response of hypoxia to future climate change is sensitive to methodological assumptions

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Mark-recapture validates the use of photo-identification for the widely distributed blue-spotted ribbontail ray, Taeniura lymma

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Future changes in coastal upwelling and biological production in eastern boundary upwelling systems

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Coral reefs deserve evidence-based management not heroic interference

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Mixed management boosts reef shark abundance

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Ecological role of offshore structures

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Shining light on dinoflagellate photosystem I

Dinoflagellates are ecologically important and essential to corals and other cnidarians as phytosymbionts, but their photosystems had been underexplored. Recently, photosystem I (PSI) of dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. was structurally characterized using cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM). These analyses revealed a distinct organization of the PSI supercomplex, including two previously unidentified subunits, PsaT and PsaU, and shed light on interactions between light harvesting antenna proteins and the PSI core. These results have implications with respect to the evolution of dinoflagellates and their association with cnidarians.

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Restoration as a meaningful aid to ecological recovery of coral reefs

Restoration supports the recovery of ecological attributes such as cover, complexity, and diversity to slow the areal decline of natural ecosystems. Restoration activity is intensifying worldwide to combat persistent stressors that are driving global declines to the extent and resilience of coral reefs. However, restoration is disputed as a meaningful aid to reef ecological recovery, often as an expensive distraction to addressing the root causes of reef loss. We contend this dispute partly stems from inferences drawn from small-scale experimental restoration outcomes amplified by misconceptions around cost-based reasoning. Alongside aggressive emissions reductions, we advocate urgent investment in coral reef ecosystem restoration as part of the management toolbox to combat the destruction of reefs as we know them within decades.

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People and coastal ecosystems adapt to relative sea-level rise

Humans and mangroves adapt to conditions arising from subsidence and relative sea-level rise. Quantifying adaptation responses provides an innovative and cost-effective means of characterizing spatial variation in subsidence and relative sea-level rise and delivers critical information for coastal planning.

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Marine BiOLogy > What is Marine Biology?

Marine biology is the study of life in the ocean. This huge body of saltwater covers about two-thirds of our planet's surface and contains many different marine ecosystems. Life within it is more diverse than life on land!

What are the big ideas about marine biology? 

1. The Ocean is Big and Constantly Moving

Our planet is made up of five great oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern. They're all linked together, creating a huge body of saltwater called the World Ocean . It surrounds continents and islands, covering more than 70% of Earth's surface.

This large body of water is always in motion. The pull of  gravity  from the Sun and the Moon creates tides that in turn create  ocean currents . Currents shape our planet’s  weather  and  climate  by moving warm water from the tropics and cold water from the poles. And they move not only water, but also life within it, from giant jellyfish to tiny plankton.

Surface currents move warm water (red arrows) and cold water (blue arrows) around the globe.

2. The Ocean Has Many Different Ecosystems

From above, the ocean may seem like one big, uniform mass of water . But look beneath the waves, and you’ll see tall mountains, deep trenches, and wide plateaux. These seascapes are formed over millions of years by geologic processes such as erosion, deposition, and plate tectonic forces .

Further from shore and deeper into the depths, conditions such as light, temperature, pressure, and salinity vary, giving rise to vastly different ecosystems, from coral reefs to polar seas to the sea floor. An ecosystem is a community of living things. Members survive by interacting with each other and with their environment. In fact, there are more kinds of ecosystems in the ocean than on land!

Layer by layer, millions of small living corals and other reef-building animals create giant limestone structures known as coral reefs . Algae grows on the surface of the reef. And a densely packed community of animals lives in the reefs’ nooks and crannies.

These unusual trees thrive in seawater along tropical coastlines. They trap mud in their roots, protecting the land from gradually eroding away. Mangroves  also protect young fish, shrimp, and other organisms. Hundreds of species depend on mangroves.

Near the shoreline grow giant forests of giant kelp , a type of brown algae. This seaweed can grow over 30 meters (100 feet tall)! Countless species, such as crabs, sea urchins, and snails, live here.

Estuaries are places where the river meets the sea. Tides carry salt water upstream, where it mixes with fresh river water. The mixing churns up nutrients, making estuaries a great place for all kinds of organisms to find food.

The icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic may seem too cold for comfort. But a variety of marine life—from microscopic algae to enormous whales—make their home here.

This part of the seafloor is pitch dark and mostly flat. Pretty much the only food here is sea snow: dead animals and other organic matter that drift down from above. You might think life would be sparse here, but more than 200,000 species have already been found.

Almost every day, a new hydrothermal vent  springs up, spewing plumes of hot, mineral-rich water from cracks in the ocean floor. Some of Earth's oddest creatures live here, thriving on the chemicals released by the vents.

3. The Ocean Teems with Life

Many more organisms of different kinds live in the ocean than on land.

They glow, swim, swarm, squish, spout, wave, hide, drift, or pounce. As varied as life may be on dry land, the diversity of marine organisms is even greater. They range from gigantic whales to microscopic phytoplankton and everything between: jellyfish, sponges, sea dragons, marlins, giant squid, hatchet fish, seaweed, starfish, sea cucumbers, manatees, coelacanths, and stingrays, to name a few.

Humpback whales  communicate with one another with beautiful underwater “songs” that travel long distances through water.

Most jellyfish can swim by squeezing the bell-shaped parts of their bodies, pushing water out. Lots of animals eat them, including humans. To protect themselves from predators, many jellyfish can sting.

Sea sponges live in clear salt water. The water flows through holes in their bodies, bringing them food and oxygen and taking away waste. These invertebrate animals don’t have hearts or brains!

Like their relatives the seahorses, seadragons are a kind of marine fish that live in coastal waters. To help them hide, they have small fronds on their bodies that look like seaweed. Seadragon dads take care of the eggs before they hatch.

Marlins are big, fast fish that can weigh more than a cow. They use their long, spear-like snouts to kill prey, smaller fish including mackerel and tuna.

Way down in the dark, deep ocean live the hatchetfish. Their bodies are so thin, they resemble the blade of an ax. Their eyes point upward to help them see food in the water above them. Hatchetfish are also bioluminescent: they emit light from different body parts to confuse their predators or to attract mates.

Seaweed is a type of algae that grows in saltwater, often attached to rocks near the coasts. Like plants, seaweed gets energy from sunlight. Many kinds of seaweed use air pockets to float, keeping them near the sunlit surface.

Often called “ starfish ,” sea stars aren’t fish at all. They’re invertebrates: animals that have no backbone. Sea stars have the ability to regenerate. If a fish bites off a sea star’s arm, it can grow a new one!

Sea cucumbers live on the ocean floor around the world. They are scavengers: they scoop up sand mixed with dead and discarded matter and poop out the clean sand. Like living filters, they help clean up their surroundings.

These marine mammals live in warm coastal waters and rivers, where they forage for plants and algae. Manatees  may look like seals, but they’re more closely related to elephants.

In 1938, fishermen off the east coast of Africa pulled up a strange fish in their nets. It turned out to be a coelacanth  (SEE-la-canth), an animal that scientists thought had been extinct for almost 80 million years!

With their wide, winglike fins, eagle rays seem to fly through the water. Electrosensory organs on their snouts help them find shellfish and other food buried in sand or mud.

Hawksbill sea turtles spend most of their lives in shallow coastal waters, near their favorite food, sea sponges. But when it’s time to lay their eggs, they can migrate vast distances. Because people hunt them for their beautiful shells and disturb the beaches where they lay their eggs, hawksbill sea turtles are critically endangered.

Monk seals are endangered mammals that live in warm, coastal waters. Their slippery, streamlined bodies and flippers make them good swimmers.

With their long legs, spider crabs look like the spiders they’re named after. To make up for their poor eyesight, they can sense their environment with organs at the ends of their legs!

These large snails can sometimes grow more than 30 centimeters (12 inches) long! The insides of their shells are glossy pink or orange. Queen conches can wander for miles across the sea floor, eating algae, sea grasses, and dead material.

Tube anemones may look like a plant that lives on the ocean floor, but they’re actually carnivorous animals. They have hundreds of tentacles that they use to grab prey, such as small crustaceans that swim near.

4. The Ocean Is Like a Layer Cake

In the ocean you see a much greater variety of life forms if you move up or down than if you move from side to side.

The ocean is a habitat that can be divided into different zones, or layers: sunlit zone, twilight zone, dark zone, abyss, and trenches.

The  sunlit zone , near the top, is rich in life. Eighty percent of all marine organisms live near the shore. They live in ecosystems found along the continental shelves , such as coral reefs, mangroves, kelp forests, and estuaries. In these sunlit, shallow waters close to land, they find the conditions needed to support large quantities of life: food, light, and shelter.

Billions of animals move up from the deep ocean to feed near the surface every night.

Algae, a group of photosynthetic organisms, also live in the sunlit zone. They contain green, brown, and red pigments that enable them to convert the Sun’s energy into food, providing huge quantities of food for the animals that live among them. Further out in the open ocean, large blooms of algae also provide food for the billions of deep-sea animals that rise to feed near the surface at night, and then return to the deep at dawn. This vertical migration is the largest mass movement of life on Earth. And it happens every night!

As you dive deeper and deeper down from the surface to  twilight zone , less and less sunlight penetrates the water. It’s colder and darker here, and there's less life. The organisms that live here survive on  zooplankton  and  sea snow , food that falls from above.

And way down deep is the  dark zone , where signs of life are rare. Here, the pitch-black water is icy cold and its pressure is intense enough to crush a human. Some animals here have glowing lights on their bodies. This ability to generate light, called  bioluminescence , helps them find food and mates.

5. Life Began in the Ocean

The first life on Earth was probably bacteria.

From studying fossils, scientists know that life on Earth probably started in the oceans about 3.5 billion years ago, soon after the oceans themselves formed.

The first life forms to appear were single-celled, microscopic marine organisms, followed by multicellular organisms. For most of Earth's history, life stayed in the oceans and thrived there. About 500 million years ago, some four-limbed marine  vertebrates  began adapting to life on land. Their descendants became the first land-dwelling vertebrates—and our ancestors! Many more millions of years later, a few types of land animals began adapting back to life in the ocean, and some of their descendants—such as dolphins and whales—now live in the ocean full time.

Some organisms, like the ancestors of these dolphins, adapted to life on land, but their descendants later returned to the ocean.

6. The Ocean is Full of Mysteries

Scientists know less about what's actually in the ocean than they know about the dark side of the Moon! Less than five percent of the ocean has been explored. And for every new species that we recognize, there may be hundreds more yet to be discovered.

But now, with scuba-diving gear, submersibles, satellites, and other technology, we can start to investigate parts of the ocean that were once beyond our reach.

This submersible is equipped with technology to explore the deep ocean. Its thick acrylic dome can withstand intense underwater pressure, allowing marine biologists to dive deep. Specialized lights and cameras illuminate and capture images of marine organisms. A mechanical claw with foam-padded fingers (inset) can wrap gently around delicate specimens.

To photograph the glow of biofluorescent organisms, scientists dive with specially designed, high-resolution underwater cameras.

Scientists use newly designed tracking tags that attach better to large marine animals. These tags can record data, such as sounds, pictures, and location information.

To study ocean currents, scientists use small devices called mini-autonomous underwater explorers (m-AUEs) that can drift with the current.

REMUS, an autonomous underwater vehicle, is being lowered into the ocean. It uses sonar to investigate plankton and the animals that eat them.

7. Human Activity is Harming the Ocean

We've always depended on the ocean: mostly for food, but also for resources like oil, sand, and salt. Over the years, though, we've taken too much out of the ocean, and we've put too much in: pollutants like fertilizers, pesticides, plastic, motor oil, and trash.

It’s hard to comprehend that something as huge as the ocean can be fragile. But today, many marine species have been driven to the edge of extinction by overfishing and hunting. Development encroaches on our coastlines. Pollution stretches from shore to shore. And as we burn fossil fuels, we release carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), which causes the atmosphere and oceans to warm. The gas also dissolves in water, making it more acidic; ocean CO 2 levels are higher than they’ve been in 20 million years. These changes threaten many organisms and entire ecosystems.

How can we protect the ocean? We can understand more about it and the organisms that live there. People and governments can also work together to manage human impact.

What can you do? Go to " Be an Ocean Helper " to find out how you can take action and help the ocean!

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What Do You Know About Marine Biology?

Test your knowledge about our watery world with this quiz.

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Test your knowledge about the major groups of life on Earth.

Image Credits:

Sky and waves, ©Liz Vernon/AMNH; "What is Marine Biology?" Title, ©Liz Vernon/AMNH; Map of world's oceans and currents, ©AMNH; Coral reef, ©Wolfgang Poelzer/WaterFrame/AGE Fotostock; Mangrove forest, D. Convertini/CC BY-SA 2.0; Kelp Forest, Tiffany/CC BY-NC 2.0; Estuary, Jim Culp/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0  Polar sea, USGS; Sea floor, NOAA; Black smokers, NOAA; Humpback whale, Whit Welles/CC BY 3.0; Jellyfish, Tavis Beck on Unsplash; Sea sponge, Kirt L. Onthank/CC BY-SA 3.0; Seadragon, Richard Ling/Wikimedia Commons; Marlin, ©R. Dirscherl/AGE Fotostock; Hatchetfish, Francesco Costa/CC BY-SA 3.0   Seaweed, Toby Hudson/CC BY-SA 3.0; Starfish, ©Philippe Clement/AGE Fotostock; Sea cucumber, NOAA; Manatees, ©FWC Research; Coelacanth, ©Peter Scoones/Science Source  Sting ray, David Clode on Unsplash; Sea turtle, ©Reinhard Dirscherl/AGE Fotostock; Monk seal, James Watt/US FWS; Spider crab, ©Cultura; Conch, ©Alex Mustard/NPL/Minden Pictures; Tube anemone, Paul Thompson/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0; Ocean zones, ©Eric Hamilton/AMNH; Vertical migration graphic, ©AMNH; Bacteria, ©Brett Taranda/AMNH; Dolphins, NOAA; Submersible, ©Triton Submarines LLC; Gripper hand, ©AMNH; Divers with camera, ©Neil van Niekerk; Scientist tagging whale, ©Ari Friedlander; m-AUEs, ©Scripps Oceanography/UC San Diego; REMUS sonar device, ©Kelly Benoit-Bird.

University Libraries

Biol 4290: marine biology and ocean sustainability.

• Introduction
• Search Strategies
• Find Articles
• Find and Evaluate Websites
• Find Background Reading

Erin's Choice #1: Designing Effective Science Presentations

How to give an awesome powerpoint presentation, give proper attribution to papers and images, how to prepare good images, text instructions for preparing a presentation.

• Cite Your Sources

This is an excellent presentation and Dr. McConnell is a good role model for presenting.

This is a longer video, but well worth your time. She goes into more depth than you will need for 12 minutes, but many of her points are applicable to your paper or blog presentations. The talk is divided into: Minutes 0 to 19:10 - Using Powerpoint wisely and Minutes 19:10 to 42:08 - How to structure a science presentation. See commentator Wes Suhler below the video for a further breakdown and links to the sections of the presentation.

For paper presentations, you don't have to present every figure in the paper, just the most important for understanding. Make "data dives" for two or three points. For blog posts, to make the "data dives" mentioned in this talk, you might use one important experiment and result from each of two to three papers.

Showing other scientists' research and images are a must for science presentations, but we always want to respect the rights of authors when we use these. Here are some tips for using research and images properly.

• For single paper presentations, put the citation for the article on an early slide and state that subsequent images are from the paper. This gives proper attribution to the authors.
• For presentations about multiple papers, put an abbreviated citation, e.g., Jones et al., 2019, at the bottom of the slide where you show an image and/or discuss paper and then add full citations in the reference list on one of the last slides.  This gives proper attribution to the authors.
• You must get the author's permission to use the images if 1) you are going to use this presentation multiple times in the future, and/or 2) it's going to be stored online where the general public can access it.

Distorted or overly complex images will confuse your audience. Make sure to adjust the size or resolution to create good images for your presentation.

• Use a snipping tool (e.g., Windows has Snipping Tool) to cut only the essential images or parts of images to insert in your presentation.
• It's even better if the online paper gives you different sizes of an image to download. Choose more pixels than fewer.
• After downloading an image, you can open it in Paint or a comparable software to resize and/or crop it.
• Insert the image in Powerpoint and don't forget to give the attribution for the image.
• Designing an Effective PowerPoint Presentation: Quick Guide This resource concentrates on the creation of the PowerPoint slides. A guide from the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
• Presentation Tips for College Students A blog posting from ValuED by Teddy Parker-Renga, sponsored by Colorado State University

Need help? Then use the library's  Ask Us service. Get help from real people face-to-face, by phone, or by email.

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104 Marine Life Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best marine life topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on marine life, ⭐ simple & easy marine life essay titles.

• Plastic Waste and Its Effects on Marine Life However, many people do not appreciate the importance of oceans to human and marine life. Another effect of microplastics on the marine community is that they lead to uneven distribution of organisms.
• The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and Its Consequences The worst effects of the great wave were observed in Indonesia, where the death toll exceeded 160,000 people, and the overall damages almost reached $4.
• Ocean Currents: General Information There are generally two types of ocean currents depending on the water level where the movement of oceanic water takes place and they are the deep ocean currents and the surface ocean currents.
• Life in the Bottom of the Ocean and Its Protection While we all strive hard to detect and analyze the essence of life and the impact it has on our lives, we need to understand that life in itself is a big mystery, the truth […]
• The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine Life The intensity of aquatic effects is influenced by the nature and extent of the spilt oil. Besides, the severity might be influenced by the sensitivity and ambient state of the pretentious marine and their surroundings […]
• Ocean Pollution and the Fishing Industry In essence, the activities of over six billion people in the world are threatening the survival and quality of water found in the oceans, lakes and other inland water catchment areas.
• Marine Parks Concept Overview In terms of marine tourism, aquatic parks offer the best solution for tourists because they are cheaper than watching animals in the sea.
• Marine Life in United Arab Emirates This report analyses the marine life in the UAE, covering detailed information about the various species of animals found in the region and their adaptation to the unique environment.
• The Ocean Pollution Problem Overview Ocean pollution is the unfavorable upshot due to the entrance of chemicals and particulate substances into the ocean. The land is the key source of ocean pollution in the form of non-point water pollution.
• Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Impure Public Goods The fact that the issue concerning the global marine biodiversity and the effects that impure public goods may possibly have on these rates can lead to the development of a range of externalities that should […]
• The Aral Sea Problems, Their Causes and Consequences To identify and analyze the problems of the lake, its basin, and the entire region To discuss the causes and consequences of the lake’s destruction To evaluate the solutions proposed for ameliorating the consequences The […]
• Climate Change Impacts on Ocean Life The destruction of the ozone layer has led to the exposure of the earth to harmful radiation from the sun. The rising temperatures in the oceans hinder the upward flow of nutrients from the seabed […]
• Sea Otters’ Life Cycle From Birth to Death However, after the species had almost become extinct and their protection began, the species began to recover and towards the close of the 20th century, conservation had given rise to tens of thousands of sea […]
• The Problem of Ocean Pollution in Modern World Wastes such as toxic matter, plastics, and human wastes are some of the major sources of pollution in the ocean. Many people consume fish as food; when marine life is affected by toxic substance in […]
• Habitat and Ocean Life Considerations of Bottlenose Dolphins The temperate and tropical oceans of the world are home to bottlenose dolphins. On the American continent, bottlenose dolphins can be seen along California’s southern beaches and the eastern seaboard from Massachusetts to Florida, and […]
• The Dead Sea Geochemical History Globally, the most saline location is found on the water surfaces and shores of the Dead Sea. On the other hand, the pattern of fluctuation in temperature and salinity in the Arctic Ocean is complex.
• Effect of Sea Water and Corrosion on Concrete On the other hand, substantial tautness, for instance due to meandering will shatter the tiny firm pattern, ending up in fracturing and disjointing of the concrete.
• Plastic Ocean Pollution on Ocean Life in U.S. Ocean plastic pollution has had a great impact on a minimum of two hundred and sixty seven species across the world and these include forty three percent of all of the sea mammal species, eighty […]
• How Deep Sea Discoveries Inspires Professional Creativity Limited technological access to the deep seas should inspire one to focus on the necessary technology to build the most efficient deep-sea robots.
• Marine Ecosystems in Oceanography Studies While oceanography students need to understand these aspects of ocean management, this paper focused on marine ecosystems, as a broad and useful topic in oceanography studies.
• Ocean Sustainability and Human Economic Activity The world economy and the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people depend on the ocean. It is important to remember that the misuse of water resources and the effects of global climate change will […]
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden The role of the ICZM in the control of environmental, transport, industrial, and other types of safety is high, and the example of the RSGA region proves this.
• Sea Foods in the Environment Protection Context Further, the purpose of the website is to give information that seeks to reward the efforts of people who protect and safeguard the ocean and seafood supplies such as lobsters.
• Marine Conservation and Coastal Development The committee should comprise of a balanced membership for holistic review of the coastal development projects. The lack of legislation related to marine conservation is also a major setback.
• SOFAR Effects on the Marine Life The speed and energy of the sounds that are transmitted in the SOFAR channel are maintained without being altered because of the pressure, which increases with increase in depth.
• The Negatives of Fossil Fuel: Ocean Acidification and Human Health The adverse effects of burning oil are hard to overestimate. Unless specific and practical actions are taken to address the issues of global climate change and pollution issues and reduce reliance on oil, the future […]
• Impacts of Climate Change on Ocean The development of phytoplankton is sensitive to the temperature of the ocean. Some marine life is leaving the ocean due to the rising water temperature.
• Exploring Environmental Issues: Marine Ecotourism For marine ecotourism to succeed, it must thrive in a manner that accommodates the needs of both the current and future generations and safeguards the natural environment.
• Autonomous Platforms in Marine Research One of the significant ideas that can increase the overall efficiency of the data collection process is the creation of networks of autonomous platforms.
• The Sea Water Impact on the Human Cell Hence, consuming it causes a high amount of salt without the human cell, which leads to a steep concentration gradient within the cell, thereby causing water to be drawn out, which is detrimental to the […]
• Mining and Ocean Use in Canada Cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper are among the metals deep seabed mining seeks to extract from the polymetallic nodules on the seafloor and seamounts.
• Addressing Marine Debris: Causes, Effects, and Potential Solutions A major limitation that makes the eradication of the problem difficult is the fact that most of the debris contains microplastic.
• Visiting San Francisco Bay as Marine Protected Area San Francisco Bay Bridge will become the central place for this trip because it is just in the center of this view.
• Non-trophic Interaction in Marine Species An example of non-trophic relationships between marine species is decorator crabs and sponges. Decorator crabs and sponges’ relations are an example of mutually helpful non-trophic interaction mutualism.
• The Rising of Sea Level and Melting Glaciers: Analysis of the Issues In modern realities, the rate of warming of the World’s Oceans has increased. Global warming provokes the melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica.
• Ocean Dumping Issue and Rhetorical Rationale Therefore, the goal of this paper is to prove that the poster in question manages to accomplish an impressive goal of subverting the audience’s expectation and encouraging them to shift from an ironic perception of […]
• The Ocean Dumping Problem: A Visual Argument There is, however, less awareness of deep-sea drilling and the impacts on the habitat and human life in the oceans and along the coasts.
• Australia’s Endangered Diverse Marine Ecosystem Climate Change and population increase are becoming increasingly difficult to perceive distinctly, especially when the question is about the loss of a diverse marine environment.
• Marine Environment Protection and Management in the Shipping Industry Therefore, criminal penalties system in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency should reinforce legislations to protect sea creatures and humans from oil pollution or wastes from ships.
• Marine Creatures and Terrestrial Animals in “The Wild West: Gold Rush” In fact, Californian nature is rich in various animal species that live to survive and pass their genes to the offspring.
• Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 342 Such flows reduce the temperature of the planet’s core, change the composition of the foundation bedrock, and impact microorganism dispersion in the subterranean ecosystem.
• Ocean Circulation and Biogeography, Species Distribution, Invasive Species The concept of ocean circulation refers to the movements of water in the oceans and seas. Surface ocean currents carry water from the poles to the tropics, where it is heated, and, afterwards, this water […]
• “History of Ocean Basins” by Hess From the article it is vivid that the coming into being of oceans is subject to discussion since the previous knowledge is doubtful, and the existing framework is confusing.
• Plastic Ocean and Its Effect on the Ecosystem The purpose of this essay is to present science-based facts in support of the author’s words to convince the reader of the criticality of the ecological problem.
• Marine Protected Areas: Impact on Kelp Forest Recovery and Urchin Reduction The research aims to study the effectiveness of MPA for kelp forest recovery and urchin reduction. The research aims to study the effectiveness of MPA for kelp forest recovery and urchin reduction.
• Environmental Marine Ecosystems: Biological Invasions One of the biggest hypoxic zones in the US is in the Gulf of Mexico. The condition of water in the area caused the decline of the shrimp industry.
• How the Ocean Current Affect Animals’ Life in the Sea Depending on the strength of the ocean current, sea animals along the path are flown along with the water, and the animals are moved to new regions that are sometimes thousands of kilometers away causing […]
• Effects of Global Warming on Marine Life Global warming has adverse effects on the marine life. It has led to the extinction of some of the animals and living things and has been necessitated by human activities.
• Deep-Sea Biology: The Search for a Sea Monster This case study is about the attempts of Clyde Roper to find the giant squid. This canyon is known to be very deep and runs towards the Kermadec Trench which is also documented to be […]
• Bacterial Diseases of Marine Organisms The striped dolphin is a highly susceptible host of the bacteria and poses and the most potent reservoir and source of transmission of the infectious agent.
• Ecotoxicology in the Marmara Sea: A Critical Review The importance and actuality of the paper can not be exaggerated, as the problem of toxic wastes is one of the most burning in Europe.
• Marine Surveying, Inspection and Safety Practices The importance of these conventions and rules was to address the need to access different ports in different countries based on uniform rules and standards acceptable to destination ports or countries in addition to maintaining […]
• How Climate Change Impacts Ocean Temperature and Marine Life The ocean’s surface consumes the excess heat from the air, which leads to significant issues in all of the planet’s ecosystems.
• Dell’s Initiative to Recycle Ocean-Bound Plastics The innovation to use plastics from the ocean and areas where these materials had a high risk of moving to the water was presented to the company in 2015.
• High Seas Marine Protected Areas: Effective Legislation or Paper Parks This essay dwells on the definition and importance of MPAs, including the ones in the high sea. The goal of the alliance is to bolster international collaboration and exchange of knowledge.
• Intergovernmental Relations and Ocean Policy Change The administration of Ronald Reagan contributed to the Federal ocean policy in the 1980s. During this change, analysts believed the United States was making a shift from ocean protection of the 1970s to ocean management […]
• Improving the Response to Marine Emergencies However, we still need to facilitate this process, for instance, by informing the National Fire Service about the implementation of this project and its results. These are the most objectives that have to be attained […]
• A Benchmarking Biodiversity Survey of the Inter-Tidal Zone at Goat Island Bay, Leigh Marine Laboratory Within each quadrant, the common species were counted or, in the case of seaweed and moss, proliferation estimated as a percentage of the quadrant occupied.
• Ocean Circulation in a Warming Climate These effects will enhance the development of reduced release of radio-carbon depleted carbon dioxide gas and thus the idea of the self-restoration mechanism of the earth to this global warming.
• Protected Marine Areas: Great Barrier Reef To protect the Great Barrier Reef the administration has put in place several policies to protect this region. In this plan, A panel of scientists was to advise on the quality of waste.
• Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion The warm seawater is carried into a chamber and is used to produce vapor that, in turn, is used to rotate a turbine.
• Review of the Quaternary History of Reefs in the Red Sea With Reference to Past Sea-Level Changes Some of the changes have occurred on the very grandest of scales, such as the Merging and ensuing breaking up of huge supercontinents, or the decimation of the dinosaurs by extra-terrestrial impacts.reefs are not invulnerable […]
• Radiocarbon C14 Dating in Marine Geology The radiocarbon technique can say to be one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, especially in the field of human science.
• Marine Biology: Polar Oceans as an Eco System The water in and around the Antarctic continent is referred to as the Antarctic or Southern Ocean. The Atlantic Water is situated between the Arctic Surface Water and the Arctic Deep Water.
• Marine Pollution: Sources, Types, Pathways, and Status By examining sources, types, pathways, and status of water contamination in the context of the World Ocean, it is clear that most marine pollution caused by human actions, especially the mismanagement of plastic debris.
• Concerns of Ocean Ecosystem Pollution The range of adverse outcomes for ocean ecosystems can be discussed in volumes; however, the current discussion will focus on trash in the ocean waters, acidification, and the disruption of the marine life cycles.
• Marine Degradation and Solutions in the Pacific Region The second issue related to the degradation of marine resources in the Pacific region is the unsustainable use of marine resources, including destructive fishing, which leads to changes in the number and health of species.
• Port Philip Bay and Sea Levels in Australia’s Geological History As the scientist explains, the phenomenon of the port’s emergence in the dry environment can be attributed to the fact that considerable water shrinkage could be observed in the area roughly 1,000 years ago.
• Geology: Port Phillip Bay and Sea Level Changes Specifically, the fossils of specific creatures, such as the shells of tertiary foraminifera, as well as the meanders of the river channels, which were located in the area, are bound to bolster the hypothesis suggested […]
• Marine Algae Associated Bacteria as Antioxidants The antinociceptive activity analysis involved comparing the reaction time of mice treated with the extracts and the controls. The authors conclude that the isolation and characterization of the bioactive principles from the potent strains could […]
• Ocean-Plate Tectonics and Geology Bathymetry of the ocean seafloor refers to the measurement of how deep the sea is in relation to the sea level.
• Impact of Sea Transport on the Aquatic Environment The shipping companies also have a serious impact on the maritime environment in terms of the wastes often released into the water.
• Deep-Sea Currents and Upwelling Along Florida The thermohaline circulation influences the movement and population of the marine ecosystem and heat redistribution both in the sea and on the earth’s surface.
• Climate Change Effects on Ocean Acidification The scientists realized that the crisis lasted for several millennia before the oceans could fully recover from the impacts of the drop in the pH level.
• Marine Geology, Hydrology and Human Impact on Earth However, the implementation of the new technologies and practices in the process of investigation of the sea depths resulted in the appearance of the new meaning.
• Marine Ecosystems, Human Dependence and Impact The growth of communities dependent on fishing is proportional to the destruction of marine ecosystems. The survival of the human race, and the survival of millions of species of wildlife is dependent on a healthy […]
• The Northern Sea Route’ Safety Management The company discusses the opportunity to trade some of the vessels with the help of the NSR. The NSR is discussed as an attractive option to decrease the time spent in the voyage while comparing […]
• Water Crisis, Oceans and Sea Turtles Issues In the case of Mexico, it appears that the past regimes have never put a lot of focus on the utilization of water resources.
• Ocean Acidification Impact on the Sea Urchin Larval Growth Due to the carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere, acidity in the oceans is increasing++ and a fast increase of change rate is experienced.
• Deep Sea Mining: Salt Extraction This therefore shows how important the process of evaporation is in regard to extraction of salt from the sea. This therefore explains that sea water is a cheap source of salt in terms of time […]
• Pacific Ocean: Essentials of Oceanography The ocean has about 25,000 islands which are in excess of the entire number islands in all the oceans across the world. The volume of water in the ocean is about 622 million km3.
• Marine Pollution and the Anthropogenic Effects Upon It Marine pollution denotes the introduction of harmful materials or chemicals in our oceans which may disrupt the marine ecosystem, cause other harmful effects to marine life or change the chemical properties of the water.
• El Niño’s Effects on Marine Life El Nino makes the winds of the east blow to the west and moves the layers of warm water in the Pacific Ocean.
• The Aral Sea’s Environmental Issues Prior to its destruction, the Sea was one of the biggest water bodies, rich in different species of flora and fauna; a case that is opposite today, as the sea is almost becoming extinct.
• Ecology Issues: Creatures of the Deep Sea Discuss the negative changes that are occurring and the cause of these changes In the recent past, the temperature on the earth has been rising steadily due to the effect of global warming.
• Ocean Literacy and Exploration From the onset of “human-ocean interaction and exploration in the fifteenth century” and despite ocean being the largest feature of the earth, only 5% of the ocean is known.
• Ocean and Atmosphere Circulation Oceanic and atmospheric circulation is the means by which heat is distributed on the surface of the Earth by large scale circulation of air.
• The Role of Sea Power in International Trade The historical influence that the marines or the navy has had on international trade and the complications in comparing measures of sea power has been issues of discussion in the past.
• The Global Ocean Conveyor Belt This ocean water phenomenon is a result of the temperature difference in the ocean waters between the warm, salty surface water, and the less salty cold water in the ocean depths.
• Ocean Fisheries Sustainability Analysis It is necessary for fishing industries to use better fishing methods in the ocean to ensure that their activities do not endanger the ecological balance. Fish species do not get the chance to replenish and […]
• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Reefs This essay addresses some of the disturbances which have been experienced in the coral reefs of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary together with measures which have been implemented to salvage the ecosystem.
• Impact of the Toxic Substances on Marine Ecosystem The condition of hypoxia is created when algal biomass decompose leading to dissolution of oxygen in the water column. While, on the other hand, farming of Bluefin tuna leads to destruction of marine life as […]
• Climate Shift Could Leave Some Marine Species Homeless This is very important as it helps put pressure on countries to reduce on carbon release, in order to conserve the environment and hence species at risk.
• Global Warming Outcomes and Sea-Level Changes The outcome of global warming has been exhibited by the melting of ice and snows in areas such as the Antarctic which has changed the average sea level of the whole world because the ice […]
• The Ocean’s Rarest Mammal Vaquita – An Endangered Species The vaquita looks like a curved stocky porpoise, and it is the smallest of all the porpoises in the world. This is a matter of concern and ought to be investigated if the survival of […]
• Deep Sea Volcanoes and their Effects Deep sea volcanoes are present under deep sea ridges of the ocean floor and the above research has been based on the amount of carbon dioxide that is present in depths of four kilometers on […]
• Policy Change to Control Ocean Dumping Policies addressing the issue of ocean dumping and the need to curb it have been in place. Several factors fueled the change; for instance, change in the information concerning the effect of ocean dumping to […]
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NOAA Enrichment in Marine Sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) Curriculum

The NEMO Program has a curriculum with 23 lessons in marine science, biology, chemistry, geology, physics, technology, and marine policy that can be used to support a course or club or prepare a team for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl.

Each lesson contains a PowerPoint presentation and a Teacher's Guide PDF file and is aligned with national science teaching standards as well as the Ocean Literacy Principles.  In some cases, lessons contain other supplementary files that are referred to in the Teacher's Guide. Please note that there is a stand-alone Glossary file containing definitions of bold terms throughout the Teacher's Guides. All PDFs can be read with Adobe Acrobat or Preview (Mac OS). Some of the PowerPoint presentations have embedded video files. Your computer must have QuickTime or Windows Media Player to play these videos. If the videos do not start automatically when clicked in the slide show presentation, try opening the video files directly from the lesson folder.  To request a hard copy of the curriculum, please contact [email protected].

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Marine Biology

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Marine biology is the study of marine ecosystems, marine organisms, and human interactions with these environments and species. As a marine biologist, you may study a wide range of topics from the behavior, physiology, and ecology of specific groups of organisms to the interactions between human activity and aquatic environments.

The organisms that are studied by marine biologists vary greatly and include everything from the biggest whales to the smallest plankton. Marine biologists also study abiotic factors within the environment, such as the concentration of nutrients within the ocean. These types of studies help scientists understand the ocean in greater detail.

Since the Earth consists of approximately 71% water. This means that the majority of the Earth is covered in oceans. Marine biologists study every aspect of oceans, as they contribute many things humans need to survive. This could be the oxygen produced by algae in the ocean, to the fish harvested by billions of people every year for food.

A career in marine biology could lead to studying marine life, such as this great white shark and the fish that surround it. It also includes the fields of marine mammal training, researching the ocean, researching marine ecosystems and all other biological careers related to the ocean.

Marine Biology Careers

Many marine biologists perform research in all of the areas shown above and more. The field of marine biology is a very popular and therefore competitive field, but there are a variety of careers available. Employment can be found at a university, research centers, commercial fisheries, government agencies, and conservation groups.

The work environment can vary widely between jobs; some consist entirely of fieldwork, others are solely spent in the laboratory, and many jobs include work in both settings. Research technicians perform work that supports the research of professional marine biologists. While many technicians have a bachelor’s degree, most marine biologists have a master’s degree and/or a doctorate .

Marine Biology Major

Some marine biologists start out by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology. Then, they go on to graduate school in marine biology specifically. There are also universities that offer marine biology as a specific undergraduate major. This may be useful to those who know for sure that they want to go on to be marine biologists. However, a master’s degree or Ph.D. is required for most jobs beyond a technician position.

Undergraduates who major in marine biology take many of the same courses as general biology majors. Core biology courses are required for a general understanding of the field that upper-level courses build upon. In addition, most biology majors are required to take classes in subjects such as chemistry, physics, calculus, and statistics.

Marine biology majors in college focus more on marine biology classes after general classes have been taken. They may take classes on specific groups of animals, such as ichthyology. They also take more courses relating specifically to marine biology, such as marine ecology, conservation science, and physiology of marine life.

Branches of Marine Biology

By type of organism:

• Herpetology : the study of amphibians and reptiles, many of which live in or around the ocean.
• Ichthyology : the study of fish.
• Invertebrate zoology : the study of invertebrate organisms (organisms without a backbone). Many invertebrates are aquatic including sponges, crustaceans, and mollusks.
• Marine mammology : the study of cetaceans, which includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
• Phycology : the study of algae.

Other fields that are not necessarily organism-specific:

• Environmental Studies : marine biology is closely intertwined with the study of the environment. Marine biologists study how aquatic organisms are affected by rising ocean temperatures, water pollution, and ocean acidification.
• Fisheries and aquaculture : these fields involve the use of fish as a food source for humans. Fisheries are where fish are raised/farmed to be eaten. Some marine biologists work with fisheries and conduct research on overfishing, the sustainability of fish as a food source, and pollution levels. Aquaculture refers to research on farming specific species of fishes in order to learn how to best cultivate them as a food source.
• Marine biotechnology : this field involves biomedical applications of marine life. For example, scientists study how compounds from marine plants, animals, and microbes may be used in pharmaceuticals. The drug Ara-C, used to treat leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the drug Ara-A, used to treat herpes, are both derived from compounds found in a sea sponge.

History of Marine Biology

Humans have long been interested in oceans, but the relative inaccessibility of large bodies of water made them difficult to study for much of human history. The ancient Phoenicians, who lived in present-day Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, were one of the first peoples to conduct ocean expeditions. They navigated the vast ocean by using constellations as their guide.

However, they were primarily interested in oceans as a means of transportation and as a food source. They were not particularly interested in studying marine organisms, aside from determining whether those creatures were suitable as food. Later in history, people began to study marine organisms in more detail.

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle is considered to be the father of marine biology. His writings from the 4 th Century B.C. include the first known references to specific marine animals such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, and he also recognized that whales were mammals and not fish. Aristotle even acknowledged that the oceans and continents slowly shifted over long periods of time, i.e., that seas could gradually fill and become land.

Modern Marine Biology

For a long time after Aristotle, no major research was done on the ocean and its life. Some even thought that Aristotle had discovered all that there was to know about the ocean. But with the beginning of the Scientific Revolution in the 16 th Century, there was a renewed interest in studying natural history, including marine life, which led to an increase in research throughout the past few hundred years.

In the 18 th Century, Captain James Cook led many oceanic voyages for the British Navy and discovered many new types of aquatic plants and animals. This inspired other naturalists for many years to come, including Charles Darwin. While Darwin is best known for his theory of evolution by natural selection , he also made important contributions to marine biology as a naturalist on the HMS Beagle.

During his 1831-1836 voyage, he collected and studied marine specimens which were then sent to the British Museum. Later in the 19th Century, the HMS Challenger, led by Sir Charles Wyville Thomson, explored the world’s oceans. Naturalists aboard the Challenger described 4,717 new species and collected 50 books’ worth of data. Later, institutions with the sole purpose of studying marine biology were built, such as the Station Biologique de Roscoff and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute .

Marine Biology Technology

A variety of technology has been developed to allow humans to explore the ocean, from the bathysphere (a spherical submersible used in the 1930s) to deep-sea submersibles, diving equipment, and remotely-operated vehicles. Still, only an estimated 20 percent of the world’s oceans have been explored.

Human activities such as overfishing, pollution, and building along the coastline can have profound effects on the world’s oceans, and in turn, create problems for the organisms that depend on oceans to survive. Technology has come a long way over the hundreds of years that science has analyzed the oceans. However, there are still many discoveries to be made!

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Marine Biology

• College of the Environment
• University of Washington

Core Research Areas

There are many ways to focus your studies or research in marine biology, and it can be difficult to know where to start. The University of Washington has faculty with expertise in a diverse range of research areas related to marine biology. To help you explore these areas, we group many topics of interest into four ‘core research areas’. Click on a specific topic to find faculty who teach or research in the areas you’re interested in.

Many Marine Biologists research specific groups of organisms. How and why did they evolve? What is unique about this group of organisms? Many people have an early interest in sharks, whales and fish. Try exploring a group you aren’t as familiar with – lesser-known groups such as marine invertebrates or seaweeds may surprise you!

Marine Microbiology Salmon Sharks Fish Invertebrates Marine Mammals Seabirds

How do organisms in the marine environment move, get energy, or reproduce? How do they adapt to the stresses of their environment? How do they interact with each other? When we examine processes, we think about the physiology of an organism (i.e, how does it work?) as well as how that organism is similar to or different from other life in the ocean. This can advance our understanding of life in the sea, and may even have implications for human health or engineering.

Evolution & Adaptation Animal Behavior Genetics/Genomics

Habitats and Ecosystems

Marine life does not exist alone. It is part of a complex system of interactions with other organisms and the physical environment. Studying the ‘big picture’ through ecology or oceanography is a critical part of marine biology.

Salish Sea Ecology Tropical Ecology & Corals Oceanography Arctic Ecology Quantitative Ecology & Modeling

Changing Oceans

The oceans are constantly changing due to the natural cycles of tides or seasons to longer-term changes in global climate. Humans influence change in the oceans as societal and economic forces drive what we take out of the ocean and what we put in. Marine Biologists have an important voice in decisions about conservation and marine policy.

Science Communication Resource Management Climate & Global Change Conservation

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Hands-on Lessons and Activities About Oceans

Oceans are a broad topic covering physical, earth and space, and life science concepts. Many elementary units focus exclusively on marine mammals, but there is much more to explore!

We’ve divided our lessons into five categories: oceans , waves and currents , marine animals and adaptations , ocean conservation , and ocean-related science, technology, and careers . Rather than pair each lesson or section with a literacy lesson, we’ve included broad suggestions for incorporating literacy into an ocean unit. Many of the science lessons also include literacy in the forms of reading, writing, research, or discussion.

Finally, we’ve aligned all lessons to national science and literacy standards. You can read the entire National Science Education Standards online for free or register to download the free pdf. The content standards are found in Chapter 6 . Standards for the English Language Arts are available from the National Council of Teachers of English web site .

Under the Deep Blue Sea (Grades K-2) This lesson gives students the opportunity to explore oceans and ocean life. After locating the earth’s major oceans on a world map, students will “dive underwater” to discover the plants and animals that live in the sea. Students will listen to stories and poems with ocean settings and learn about the forms of sea life featured in each. They can add their own artwork and text about ocean animals and plants to a cut-away ocean display. Finally, students will engage in various forms of creative writing about the ocean and ocean life. This lesson meets the Life Science and Earth and Space Science content standards of the National Science Education Standards .

Why Is the Sea Salty? (Grades K-3) Students simulate surface runoff with rock salt. They also observe that the salt is left behind when the water evaporates. This lesson meets the Earth and Space Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

New Species Found! (Grades 3-5) This article from the National Science Teachers Association journal Science and Children describes an oceanography unit as well as the performance-based assessment that followed it. Articles are free for members and $0.99 for nonmembers. This lesson meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

WAVES AND CURRENTS

Introduction to Waves (Grades K-2) In this lesson, students experiment with creating waves of varying sizes and learn about wave height and wavelength. This lesson meets the Earth and Space Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Wave Heights (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students will use hands-on experimentation, maps, discussion, and drawings to learn about the parts of a wave and why wave heights vary. This lesson meets the Earth and Space Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Ducks in the Flow (Grades 3-5) Students learn about ocean surface currents through a story and hands-on exploration. This module meets the Physical Science and Earth and Space Science content standards of the National Science Education Standards .

MARINE ANIMALS AND ADAPTATIONS

For more lessons about marine animals, please see our issues about mammals and birds . Ecosystem lessons will help students understand the relationships between organisms, and between organisms and their environments.

Ocean Discovery (Grade Pre-K)

This interdisciplinary unit helps students learn about the ocean by exploring marine animal adaptations and diversity. This unit meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Into the Ocean (Grades K-2) This lesson introduces students to different ocean depths (shore/tide pools, open ocean, abyss) and to the ways in which animals have adapted to live at different depths. This lesson meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

The Water Column: Where Do Ocean Animals Belong? (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students will learn about three broad ocean habitats (the intertidal zone, the open ocean, and the abyss) and find out about some specific adaptations animals have made in each of these regions. This lesson meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Pair these two lessons with the following activities:

Hold On or Go with the Flow (Grades K-2) Students can listen and sing along to this song about how animals survive in the rough-and-tumble world of the rocky shore.

Dive into the Deep (Grades K-5) Students can create an undersea scene and discover what a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) sees as it dives deep in Monterey Canyon.

SeaWorld Science Activity Guide (Grades K-4) Hands-on lessons help students learn about marine animals and the ecology of the ocean. These lessons meet the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

We’re in Hot Water Now: Hydrothermal Vents (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students learn about hydrothermal vents and uniquely adapted animals that live near them. They create aquarium exhibits showcasing some of these animals and their special adaptations. This lesson meets the Life Science and Earth and Space Science content standards of the National Science Education Standards .

Fish Aren’t Afraid of the Dark! (Grades K-2) In this lesson, students will be introduced to the concept of bioluminescence and, through pictures, collages, and stories, will consider how animals benefit from having their own light sources. This lesson meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Lighting Up the Sea (Grades 3-5) Students will explore the adaptation of bioluminescence by conducting a simulation and viewing pictures of bioluminescent marine animals on the web. This lesson meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Pair the two lessons above with the following activity:

Lanternfish Sticks (Grades K-5) In this activity, students use glow-in-the-dark paint to create their own bioluminescent fish.

Pilot Whales’ Place in the Ocean (Grades 3-5) Students learn about pilot whales’ sociability and bonding, consider how research tools such as the Crittercam might help scientists learn more about their social behaviors, and formulate research questions. This lesson meets the Life Science and Science and Technology content standards of the National Science Education Standards .

Pair this lesson with the following activity:

Build a Whale of a Crittercam In this activity, students design a video camera and determine how to best attach it to a humpback whale.

Are Sharks as Dangerous as We Think They Are? (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students conduct research about sharks and give oral presentations. This lesson meets the Life Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Shark School of Art (Grades 3-5) Learn some tips for creating your own shark cartoons and comics.

Ocean Conservation

Taking Care of Our Oceans (Grades K-2) In this lesson, students will consider why so many people live near a coast and learn about the impacts of this trend on ocean animals. Students will make posters to educate coastal residents and visitors about human impacts on marine life. This lesson meets the Science in Personal and Social Perspectives content standards of the National Science Education Standards .

Oil Pollution (Grades 2-5) Students will conduct a hands-on activity to learn why oil pollution is harmful to animals.

Using Photography to Help Save the Oceans (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students will learn about the importance of ocean conservation. They will think about how photography can help people understand the impact humans are having on the oceans. They will look at animals that are endangered because of human behavior, and choose one to study in depth. Finally, students will draw the animal they choose and describe why it is in peril and how it can be protected. This lesson meets the Science in Personal and Social Perspectives content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Ocean-Related Science, Technology, and Careers

Echoes: What Animals Can Teach Scientists (Grades K-2) In this lesson, students will learn how scientists use sonar to investigate the depths of the ocean. They will learn that some animals have an unusual way of figuring out what is around them in the dark. They will study the echolocation capabilities of bats and think about how ocean scientists can learn from these animals to develop deep-sea exploration techniques. This lesson meets the Life Science and Science and Technology content standards of the National Science Education Standards .

Submarines: The Classroom Fleet (Grades K-2) This lesson introduces students to the submarine as a means of travel under the sea, and to the challenges humans face when traveling underwater. This lesson meets the Science and Technology content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Who Sees the Seas as Important? (Grades K-2) In this lesson, students learn about some people who think the ocean is so important that they have devoted their lives to studying it and its inhabitants. This lesson meets the History and Nature of Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Ocean Exploration Museum (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students will become familiar with some of the latest discoveries in ocean research, including hydrothermal vents and historical shipwrecks. Students will complete their research by creating a “museum” exhibit about ocean exploration and by suggesting questions for future research. This lesson meets the Science and Technology content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Underwater Study: Marine Biology (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students learn about marine biology as a career, the types of plants and animals marine biologists study, and how technology helps them in their work. This lesson meets the History and Nature of Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

Why is Oceanography Important? (Grades 3-5) In this lesson, students learn about some of the important discoveries that oceanographers have made and some areas that they are still investigating. This lesson meets the History and Nature of Science content standard of the National Science Education Standards .

INCORPORATING LITERACY

Many of the science lessons involve literacy in some form – reading, research, or writing. However, you might want to consider one of these ideas to further integrate literacy and science instruction.

As Slippery as an Eel: An Ocean Unit Exploring Simile and Metaphor (Grades K-2) After reading ocean-themed books, students examine the ways that the books use simile and metaphor, creating their own names and definitions of these figures of speech. Using the picture books as framing texts, students then revise a piece of their own writing to increase its use of figurative language. This lesson meets the following NCTE/IRA Standards: 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 .

Ferocious Fighting Fish: An Ocean Unit Exploring Beginning Word Sounds (Grades K-2) Students explore alliteration (repeated beginning word sounds) in texts then compose their own class book to explore figurative language in their writing. The lesson includes a revision worksheet to apply the technique to another piece of writing. This lesson meets the following NCTE/IRA Standards: 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12 .

Integrating Literacy into a Study of the Earth’s Surface (Grades 3-5) In this lesson students learn about the features of the earth’s bodies of water using a variety of literacy genres, culminating with a Readers Theatre performance. This lesson meets the following NCTE/IRA Standards: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12 .

Reading and Writing about Pollution to Understand Cause and Effect (Grades 3-5) This lesson uses a variety of reading and writing strategies and a hands-on experiment to help students learn that pollution in our oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams is a very serious problem. This lesson meets the following NCTE/IRA Standards: 1, 5, 7, 8 .

This article was written by Jessica Fries-Gaither. For more information, see the Contributors page. Email Kimberly Lightle , Principal Investigator, with any questions about the content of this site.

Copyright May 2009 – The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0733024. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. This work is licensed under an  Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons license .

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130+ Interesting Biology Topics for Presentation & Research [UPD 2024]

Looking for an interesting biology topic for your presentation, essay, or research paper? This article contains everything you might need! The first section lists the most relevant branches of biology. The other sections contain top 100 interesting biology topics as well as the most controversial issues in the discipline.

🔭 What Are Relevant Biology Presentation Topics?

🤖 what are interesting biology topics, 🤫 biology topics: current issues.

• 📝 Top 100 Biology Topics

🦠 Life Science Topics for Presentation

🧬 easy biology topics for presentation.

• ❓ 10 Controversial Topics On Biology

🔚 Conclusion

🔗 references.

There are a number of biology topics that are relevant to your presentation and research. You can choose a valuable topic from one of the branches of biology. It includes the following:

• Molecular Biology
• Environmental Biology
• Genetic Research
• Neuroscience
• Behavior and Hormones
• Famous Biologists
• Experiments
• Sustainability and Biodiversity
• Controversial Topics.

Also, you can choose an interesting biology topic for your research from related topics . You will find 10 interesting biology-related topics in the next section!

What else can you pick for your presentation or research paper? You can focus on the history of biology, current issues, famous biologists, equipment, or biological experiments.

Of course, every biology expert says that their major topic is the most interesting and exciting. However, there are current biology issues that are the most interesting and studied in the world. Here you will find the top 10 interesting biology topics for research .

• Issues and Opportunities for CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
• Epidemiology Studies and Its Opportunities to Combat New Viruses (as Covid-19)
• Infectious-disease-causing agents (Prions) studies
• Climate Change Problems and Potential Solutions
• Cancer Research
• Behavioral Science Studies
• Endangered Species
• Astrobiological Questions
• Synthetic Biology and Its Opportunities
• Epigenetics Studies.

You can also look for an area of biology that you are most interested in and consider the new developments in it – that would make a perfect choice for a biology-related subject . However, it is not your only option. For example, another great topic to consider is biological issues. Ask yourself: what problems are present in the field of biology? Well, here is a small (and not at all exhaustive) list of suggestions.

• Ethics and biology . Consider the protection of human subjects and the alternatives to animal experimentation. Are the other options necessary?
• The attitude to GMOs as a problem. Can public opinion hold science back? Adverse reactions to GMOs should focus on this topic, but you can also consider the effects of the positive ones.Adverse reactions to GMOs should focus on this topic, but you can also consider the effects of the positive ones.

If the topics mentioned above do not attract you, think about other options. For example, choose a branch of biology or a specific aspect of biologists’ activities to discuss! Here are a few suggestions.

• Under the sea! What does a marine biologist do?
• How do you acquire a biological patent? Offer a legal workshop to your peers!

📎 Top 100 Biology Topics for Presentation & Research

We’ve created a list of different biology topics you could choose from for your presentation or research paper. For your convenience, we’ve divided the topics by biological fields. Find your inspiration and get started!

Molecular Biology Research Topics

Molecular Biology is one of the most interesting and prominent fields of biology. Let’s have a look at several relevant topics!

• Origin of Life: The RNA World Scenario Vs. The Latter Scenario . For this topic, you can cover two major theories on how first living cells have occurred. The best idea is to discuss both views and compare them.
• What Are Methods in Molecular Biology Research? Here, you can discuss the basic methods that scientists use in molecular biology studies.
• Molecular Biology of The Cell: An Introduction. This topic implies that you cover the basics of the molecular biology of the cell. As it is a broad theme, the best idea is to focus on the basics.
• Molecular Biology of The Gene: An Overview. We offer you the same strategy as in the previous topic. Just try to cover the basics of the molecular biology of the gene. It can be done by providing key definitions and explaining key theories.
• Molecular Biology of Microorganisms: A brief overview. This topic suits perfectly for a presentation. You can provide a brief overview of the molecular biology of microorganisms. It is a brilliant idea to discuss key terminology, theories, and current issues.

Environmental Biology Research Topics

Environmental topics are among the most popular in biology today. Below you will find 10 topics that you can use for your presentation or research paper.

• How Noise Pollution Influences Living Organisms?
• Environmental Justice: Why It Is Essential?
• Urban Ecology: What Issues It Aims At Solving?
• What Are The Latest Research on Climate Change?
• Fire Ecology: How Human Beings Can Adapt to Fires?
• Renewable Energy: What Are Potential Risks for Nature?
• Bioremediation: How Microbes Can Eliminate Pollution?
• Limnology Studies: What Are The Main Areas of Research?
• Conservation Biology: What Are The Latest Efforts for Prevention Extinction?
• Satellites and Drones for Studying Natural World Remotely.

Genetics Research Topics

Genetics is an incredibly interesting subject that affects almost any aspect of modern life! We highly recommend you to choose one of the 10 topics that you can find below.

• What Are The Latest Breakthroughs in Genetics Studies?
• Gene Mutation: How It Can Help Fighting Illnesses?
• Genetics Legislation: What Procedures Are Illegal?
• Genetic Tests: How They Can Be Helpful for Fighting Diseases?
• How Genetics Takes Part in Cancer Research?
• What Opportunities Does Genetics Science Open Up for Humanity?
• What Genetic Factors Might Influence Human Behavior?
• Does Genetics Open Up Opportunities to Choose Sex and Other Characteristics Before Birth?
• Is There a Connection Between Genetics Studies and Environmental Questions?
• Can Extinct Species DNAs Be Recovered?

Neuroscience Research Topics

Here you will find 10 interesting neuroscience research topic for your presentation or research paper:

• How Can Human Emotions Influence Intellectual Abilities?
• How Do Emotions Affect the Perception of Art and Music?
• What Factors Affect the Levels of Dopamine in Human Bodies?
• How Does Alcohol and Marijuana Use Might Influence Teenagers’ Brain Development?
• What Has Neuroscience Achieved Towards Controlling Negativity and Emotional Pain?
• What Are the Controversial Topics in Neuroscience? How It Affects the Discipline?
• Gut Bacteria and Its Influence on Behavior and Mental Health.
• How Humans’ Brains Process Speech?
• How Does Excessive Use of the Internet Affect The Memory?
• What Are The Latest Breakthroughs in Neuroscience?

Behavior and Hormones Research Topics:

Biology Research also focuses on Behavior and Hormones Studies. Here we offer you another 10 interesting topics related to this field.

• How Does Our Hormone System Affect Behavior and Mind?
• What Biological Processes Occur in The Brain while Bipolar Disorder?
• Depression: What Changes Occur in Hormone System?
• Hormone System and Gender-related Issues
• What Changes Occur in Hormone System While Pregnancy?
• Latest Research on Oxytocin Science: What Is New?
• What Hormones Are Activated While Fear Reaction?
• How Physical Exercises Influence Hormones?
• The Use of Melatonin for Therapeutic Purposes.
• What Hormones Are Responsible for Risky Behavior?
• Cloning and stem cells: Current issues. Is human cloning legal? Why?
• Hybrids as a means to increase efficiency: Mention the animals that are worth making hybrids of.
• The threats and benefits of transgenic crops: Explain that GMO is not that hazardous.
• Fighting inherent diseases: Mention current accomplishments.
• The world under a magnifying glass. Molecular genetics: Define the basic notions.
• The causes of genetic mutations: Provide examples of mutations.
• Research field Biomedicine: Dr. Malcolm E. Miller says…
• Donors and organ transplants: I give you my heart. Pick the problem of finding a proper donor.
• Cosmetic surgery: Is it me, I see? Dwell on the reasons for undergoing cosmetic surgery .
• Behind a brain at work. Neurosurgery problems: Recall leading neurosurgeons and their accomplishments.
• Vascular surgery: It’s in your blood. Mention current achievements.
• Future of prosthetic appliances. Mind-controlled limbs: Include issues from surgery and science engineering.
• Fighting cancer and benign tumors: Never give up. Describe current treatment methods.
• Research field: Ecology and Hippocrates says…
• Saving the Earth: Environment in danger. Convey the idea of balance between the natural and the human-made.
• The means of wildlife preservation: Offer your suggestions to protect wildlife.
• Rare species protection: Enumerate the most endangered species.
• The problem of extinction. The species that are no more: List extinct animals and plants.
• Extreme survival and endangered animals: Offer your suggestions to help animals adapt.
• Invasive species: Only the strong survive. Your idea on the iron jungle issue.
• Sea life: Things people have to know. Offer the least known facts.
• Animal hunting: Following fashion. Mention the animals that suffer the most.
• Environmental pollution: Back to carts? Consider alternative sources of energy.
• Research field: Evolution. Darwin says…
• The law of natural selection: Provide examples of animal evolution.
• Dead branches of evolution: When there’s nowhere to go. Imagine what would have happened if evolution hadn’t stopped.
• Trends in evolution: What is the next step? Find evolution algorithms.
• The reasons for biodiversity loss: Offer your means to sustain current biodiversity.
• Animal and plant habitats: Contamination threat. How to prevent pollution?
• Research field: Biodiversity. Greenpeace says…
• Climate change’s effects on biodiversity: Offer suggestions on how to save various species.
• Coral reefs preservation: Facing challenges. Provide ways to save coral reefs.
• Global warming as a threat for biodiversity. Consider methods of sustainability.
• Econet as a biodiversity conservation tool: Define the Econet system.

Biology Topics: Famous Biologists

You can use the information about biological issues to create a topical, engaging text. However, you have other options, as well. For instance, have you considered writing about famous biologists? Here, we will name just a couple of them.

• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: when and how did microbiology start? You can add some information on how microbiology has been developing since then.
• Carl Linnaeus. Why do we have binomial nomenclature? Why is it important?
• Edward Jenner: the history of vaccination. Focus on the beginnings of immunization and mention its impact. A brief consideration of the changes in attitudes to it can also be exciting and engaging.
• Rachel Carson . Check out her book, “Silent Spring.” Discuss environmental safety. Why is her contribution significant?
• Stephen Jay Gould. A paleontologist and historian of science: history and biology combined. Consider also his contribution to popular science and pop-science literature.

Biology Topics: Equipment

Come to think of it: every biologist needs tools! Why don’t you choose a piece of biological equipment (e.g., microscope) and discuss the history of its creation and its impact on the development of biology (or a specific branch of biology)? Here are some ideas for insightful equipment-related topics.

• Microscopes: using light and electrons to see this world in detail. Consider telling the brief history of the equipment and explaining its impact. Also, check out the two different types of microscopes.
• Test tubes: spin that sample right round! Who would need a test tube? Why? What for?
• Petri dishes. Culture your sample! Why is it called that way? What is it for? Consider discussing the history and impact of the invention.
• Dyeing your samples: when, why, and how? Tell the history of the development of the technique and the opportunities that it offers.
• How to tell a beaker from a flask? Check out the history of the two types of containers. What is its purpose? Why do they need to be different?

Biology Topics: Experiments

As you can see, your favorite biology field can make a significant research topic. But do you know what can make a biology paper most interesting? Cool bio experiments are out there! Tell your peers how to carry out a bio experiment or, better yet, show them! You can find some of the possible experiment topics below.

• What kind of biological organisms can be found in the samples of water from different sources? Offer examples of sources. If you want a practical demonstration, it is an excellent opportunity to use the microscope so that you can throw in some information about it too.
• How to extract your DNA at home? Discuss the necessary supplies and surprise your audience!
• What happens to an egg dipped in vinegar for too long? Discuss osmosis and its effects.
• If you cannot smell your food, will it taste the same? You can quickly organize a practical demonstration: just provide your audience with small snacks and ask them to cover their noses. Explain the mechanisms of smell and taste.
• How do you make your very own bacteria colony? This topic can be connected to that of the Petri dish.

Biology Topics: Sustainability and Biodiversity

Using a bio experiment as your topic can be great! However, apart from choosing the issues that are most interesting to you, you can find a problem, studying which is a responsible thing to do. For instance, sustainability is not just a buzz word. Discuss sustainability as a part of your bio project or paper and disseminate crucial information about preserving our planet’s resources!

• The concept of sustainability. Consider its history and impact on modern society.
• What biological resources do we need to preserve this day? Make sure to offer both classification and examples!
• Types of pollution. There are more than one, but why bother with the designation? Examples would be great here, too: check out the most devastating events in the history of ecology.
• An exciting element of sustainability is the preservation of biodiversity. Think about extinct species: what have we lost? What can we lose yet? And how do we stop the world from losing its precious biodiversity?
• Why is extinction a problem? Review the consequences of dying out.
• Causes of extinction. Is the human always to blame? Consider non-human matters. Can they be traced back to humanity?

Life science studies all forms of life, including plants, animals, viruses and bacteria, single-celled organisms, and even cells. Its key goal is to examine everything about life on this planet at different stages of evolution.

We have prepared science topics for a presentation to help you and your audience learn more about every living thing on Earth!

Cell Biology Topics for Presentation

Cell biology is the study that seeks to examine the structure and function of cells, their communication, and inner mechanisms.

Here are cell biology topics for a presentation that can come in handy:

• Cell biology: the study of cellular metabolism.
• What are the peculiarities of cell communication?
• The efficiency of cell-based therapy in cancer.
• The role of enzymes in DNA replication.
• Cell death: the key mechanisms.
• Genetic mutation and its influence on human health.
• What is the role of membrane trafficking in plant-microbe interactions?
• The impact of environmental stresses on cells.
• Signal transduction of cells: the main steps and types.
• The ethical issues behind cell therapy.

Human Biology Topics for Presentation

Human biology studies the structure, function, and behavior of the human body. It aims to understand how the human body works and use that knowledge to improve people’s health and well-being.

Below, you can find interesting human biology topics for presentation:

• How does the central nervous system function?
• Artery vs. vein: the key distinctions.
• The peculiarities of the human respiratory system.
• Regular training and its impact on the human heart.
• The differences in the skeletal structure of males and females.
• Lung cancer: causes, symptoms, and consequences.
• The importance and role of genes.
• How do digestive organs interact with one another?
• Practical methods for protecting the immune system.
• Thyroid gland: function, location, and common conditions.

Zoology Topics for Presentation

Zoology is a branch of biology that investigates all animals, both living and extinct. Zoology significantly aids in understanding the natural world and minimizing harm to animal populations and their habitats.

Zoology topics for presentation look the following way:

• The impact of global warming on baby lizards.
• Mesozoic Era: the overview of animal species.
• What are the molecular and genetic bases of animal evolution?
• The cases of the gray wolf return.
• Brain size and its impact on species intelligence.
• The benefits and drawbacks of trout fish hatcheries.
• The ethical considerations in animal research and testing.
• How do animals reproduce and pass on their genes?
• The effect of habitat destruction on the population of local animals.
• The peculiarities of primate language.

Have you not found the perfect topic for your presentation yet? Do not panic! We have some additional easy biology topics that you can use!

• The fundamental biological principles and concepts.
• What is the role of photosynthesis in the carbon cycle?
• The origins of viruses in the evolutionary history of life.
• The problem of obesity in house pets.
• Allergic reactions: symptoms and triggers.
• What are the pros and cons of vaccination?
• The complexity of the immune system.
• The role of camouflage in sea animals.
• Human memory: the basics of work.
• How does alcohol affect the human brain and liver?
• The issue of tropical forests extinction.
• Characteristics of animal behavior in reproduction.
• The impact of pollution on marine life.
• What is the role of biodiversity in ecosystem stability?
• The key functions of the human brain.

❓ 10 Controversial Topics In Biology

There are plenty of controversial and debatable topics on biology. These themes raise questions in terms of their ethical part and sociological perspective . You can prepare an oral presentation or a research paper on one of them. In this section, we’ve prepared for you 10 controversial topics on biology. Get inspired!

• Abortion: When The Basic Legal Right To Live Begin?
• Abortion: Whose Rights Should Be Respected At First?
• Abortion: Are There Any Alternatives (As For Example Adoption)?
• Abortion: Should Be Men Involved in The Decision-Making?
• Human Cloning: What Are The Purposes?
• Human Cloning: Arguments For and Against.
• Human Cloning: An Overview of The Current Situation.
• Animal Experiments: Arguments For and Against.
• Genetically Engineered Food: A Threat or A Solution?
• Embryonic Stem Cells: Arguments For and Against.

And where do you think you are going? Want to create biology topics for project writing? Or develop biology topics for essay papers? Hold on, you still have an important message to read!

State the subject of your research in the paper’s topic!

E.g., Current genetics: Searching for mutations’ causes (the causes of mutations are the obvious subject).

With that in mind, you will surely create perfect topics for biology papers.

We hope that you find our recommendations on interesting biology topics useful and get down to work! Remember, you have plenty of opportunities, from discussing controversial topics to focusing on one of the biological fields we’ve offered. Good luck!

• Ecology, Behavior & Evolution: Research Topics – UC San Diego
• Topic List: Developmental Biology – Stanford Medicine
• Marine Biology: Core Research Areas – University of Washington
• The Biology Undergraduate Major – Stanford University
• What is evolution? | Biological Principles
• Biological Sciences Research Guide – Humboldt State University
• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology – Colorado State University
• Biology Research Projects – University of Nevada
• Biology – Research Basics – University of Texas

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Home  /  Distance Education  /  Master's Degrees Online  /  MS in Marine Conservation Biology

Marine Conservation Biology

Master of science.

Next  start date  is August 12. No GRE needed and applying is free!!

Dive into a career

And lead efforts to save our oceans..

Embrace your love for marine conservation with our online degree in Marine Conservation Biology, designed to offer flexibility and accessibility. You can learn from anywhere, making it convenient to balance your studies with work, family, and other commitments.

Our comprehensive curriculum integrates knowledge from biology, ecology, and conservation science, providing you with a deep understanding of marine ecosystems. You’ll develop advanced research skills and gain practical experience, preparing you to address real-world environmental challenges effectively.

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Marine Conservation Biology program offers an exploration of marine ecosystems, focusing on the biology, behavior, and interactions of marine organisms. Students will develop research and critical analysis skills and apply advanced scientific methods to address key issues in marine conservation and ecology. The program emphasizes mastering the fundamentals of research, including advanced methods, experimental design, and data analysis. The program prepares graduates with the essential tools and knowledge to excel in academia, research institutions, and environmental organizations, setting a strong foundation for their future scientific endeavors. 

Career Outlook

Earn your degree.

Unlock new opportunities..

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists jobs in the U.S., 2022.

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists average pay, 2022.

Estimated U.S. job growth for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists through 2032. 

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics/O-Net. Unity Environmental University cannot guarantee employment. Salary data represents averaged earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience.

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Experiential and Immersive Coursework

Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems

This course covers fundamental interactions in marine ecosystems, emphasizing temporal and spatial scales. Topics include ocean structure, circulation, plankton distribution, and climate change. Students will review scientific literature and design a research project on marine ecosystem dynamics and conservation.

Identification and Life History of Marine Mammals

This course explores marine mammals’ identification, evolution, anatomy, behavior, and ecology. It covers sampling techniques, data impacts, threats, and solutions for their survival, with a focus on their unique features and evolutionary history.

Coral Ecology and Conservation

This course covers coral biology, growth, reproduction, and reef formation. Students will identify coral types, examine threats like bleaching and ocean acidification, and learn management and restoration strategies.

Degree Requirements and Courses

The Master’s in Marine Conservation Biology degree requires 30 credits with a minimum 3.0 GPA. For more requirements, view our full course catalog .

Frequently Asked Questions

Marine Conservation Biology is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on understanding and preserving marine ecosystems. It addresses the critical issue of marine ecosystem degradation caused by overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change, which threaten marine biodiversity. Students in this field gain skills to develop and implement effective conservation strategies, contributing to the sustainable management of marine ecosystems.

The MS in Marine Conservation Biology equips you with advanced research skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and practical experience in marine conservation. You’ll analyze complex marine ecosystems, develop innovative conservation solutions, and communicate scientific findings effectively. This program covers diverse topics, including the biology of corals, life history of marine mammals, and conservation of marine predators.

Research Core: 15 credits

• RSCH 510 Research Fundamentals 
• MATH 510 Tools and Technologies for Data Analysis 
• MATH 525 Quantitative Research Design and Statistics 
• GISC 505 GIS & Remote Sensing for Environmental Solutions
• RSCH 610 Research Communication

Major Program Core: 15 credits

• MARI 505 Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems
• MARI 510 Conservation of Marine Predators
• MARI 515 Coral Ecology and Conservation
• MARI 520 Identification and Life History of Marine Mammals
• MARI 650 Applied Research in Marine Biology

For course requirements and a better look into your program, view our full course catalog . Then apply online for free to get started.

The timeframe for completion is up to you! Enroll in 6 credits per term and  complete the program in one year . Alternatively, opt for part-time study by taking one course at a time. Whichever path you choose, we’re here to support your educational journey every step of the way. Contact your concierge or advisor to create your personalized plan.

Your online education should be affordable and manageable. Thanks to our promise to keep tuition flat through 2030 , you won’t be burdened with unexpected increases or fees. Our team of distance education concierges will work with you through the admissions process to help you plan and pay for your degree. Learn more about the costs here.

Program Features

Career Focus  –  Unity ranks in the top 15% of colleges for social mobility according to CollegeNET. Demand for employees with green skills is growing daily, and the sustainability core in every master’s program at Unity means that you’ll graduate with an environmental consciousness applicable to every career path.

Earn While You Learn  –  Our asynchronous model is designed to provide flexibility, allowing you to balance your studies with professional and personal commitments.

World Renowned Faculty  –  Learn from faculty who are working in their field, bringing their professional network and real-world insights into the virtual classroom, fostering valuable connections for your future career.

Applied Learning  –  You’ll be required to engage your local community and environment while completing your master’s degree, giving you practical, hands-on experience while allowing you to translate theoretical knowledge into real-world solutions. 

Personalized Support  –  You can rely on one-on-one professional advising, career support from your first day, unlimited mental health counseling, and more.

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