Marine BiOLogy > What Do You Know About Marine Biology?

ANSWER: the pull of gravity from the Sun and the Moon

The pull of gravity from both the Sun and the Moon cause ocean tides. The tides cause the currents that many ocean animals use to travel.

ANSWER: a community of organisms that depend on each other and their surroundings

Ecosystems are made up of communities of organisms that depend on each other and their surroundings. Kelp forests, continental shelves, and mangrove forests are all examples of ocean ecosystems.

ANSWER: in the oceans

Life in the oceans is much more diverse than life on land; oceans have many more different kinds of organisms.

ANSWER: small, floating animals and algae that live in the ocean

Plankton are small animals ( zooplankton ) and algae ( phytoplankton ) that live in the ocean. They drift on currents and provide food for many ocean residents.

ANSWER: the blue whale

The blue whale is the largest animal that ever lived. An adult can be longer than three school buses stretched end-to-end, and weigh as much as 28 African elephants!

ANSWER: glowing lights on animals' bodies

Bioluminescence makes animals' bodies glow. Chemicals mix together to produce "cold light," which doesn't give off any heat. Some bioluminescent animals get their glow from tiny microbes that live inside light organs in their bodies.

ANSWER: on the continental shelves

Eighty percent of all ocean life is found on the continental shelves . This is because shallow water and the closeness to land provide food, light , and shelter—the conditions needed to support large quantities of life.

ANSWER: completely dark

When you go below 2,000 feet underwater, no sunlight can penetrate through and you find yourself in total darkness. Fewer animals live in this "twilight zone." Most of their food is provided by sea snow and zooplankton.

ANSWER: human beings

We are the biggest threat to the oceans. Over the years we've overfished and polluted the seas. YOU can help change things by becoming an ocean helper!