RESEARCH FIELD

Marine Biology

Marine biology investigates life in the ocean, from microbial communities in the deep sea to the behavior of large marine mammals, encompassing more than 70 percent of Earth's surface and the vast majority of its living space. Environmental DNA metabarcoding can survey entire marine communities from filtered seawater samples, replacing laborious trawl surveys. Deep-sea expeditions using ROVs and landers are revealing thriving ecosystems around hydrothermal vents and cold methane seeps, expanding our understanding of life's limits. Coral reef bleaching events driven by ocean warming are reshaping reef ecology globally, making restoration ecology a major research priority. Marine biology underpins fisheries management, marine protected area design, and blue carbon accounting.