Biological oceanography

thumb|upright=1.5| Part of the contents of one dip of a hand net. The image contains diverse planktonic organisms, ranging from [[photosynthetic cyanobacteria and diatoms to many different types of zooplankton, including both holoplankton (permanent residents of the plankton) and meroplankton (temporary residents of the plankton, e.g., fish eggs, crab larvae, worm larvae). 100 μm = one tenth of a mm.]]

scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water

Phytoplankton () are the autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems. The name comes from Ancient Greek φυτόν (phutón), meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός (planktós), meaning "drifter, wanderer, roamer", and thus, "plant drifter".

class of algae

rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae

thumb|upright=1.8| Zooplankton sample including several species of copepods (1–5), [[gastropod larva (6) doliolids (7), fish eggs (8), and decapod larva (9) (Photo by Iole Di Capua)]]

climate change-induced decline of pH levels in the ocean

300px|thumb|upright=1.0| Nannochloropsis microalgae 300px|thumb|upright=1.0|Collection of microalgae cultures in CSIRO's lab

among the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems

shower of mostly organic detritus falling from the upper layers of the water column

biological phenomena in the sea

luminous phenomenon in the ocean in which large areas of seawater glow brightly enough at night to be seen by satellites orbiting Earth

alt=Walrus |thumb|upright=1.5 |Sediment on the left tusk of a walrus. Walrus bioturbations in Arctic benthic sediments have large-scale ecosystem effects.

rate of generation of biomass in an ecosystem

pattern of movement used by some organisms living in the ocean and in lakes

ocean's biologically driven sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean interior and seafloor

Bacterioplankton refers to the bacterial component of the plankton that drifts in the water column. The name comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning "wandering" or "drifting", and , a Latin term coined in the 19th century by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg. They are found in both seawater and fresh water.

habitat that supports marine life

Seston (from ) refers to the particles suspended in bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. Small particles of seston may be formed by the breaking down of larger particles amidst the crashing of waves, mixing of water currents, or slow disintegration. The organic constituents of seston include plankton and detritus from decomposing organisms; the inorganic components of seston are of mineral origin, essentially particles of mud suspended in the water column.

slimy, mucus-like organic matter found in the sea, especially in the Mediterranean Sea

carbon captured by the world's coastal ocean ecosystems

ecological observation of high plankton diversity despite competition for few resources

bloom of algae that causes harm to the nearby ecosystem

upright=1.3|thumb|Photosynthetic picoplankton off the Marquesas Islands observed by [[epifluorescence microscopy (blue exciting light). Orange fluorescing dots correspond to Synechococcus cyanobacteria, red fluorescing dots to picoeukaryotes.]]

The order Pennales is a proposed traditional subdivision of the heterokont algae known as diatoms. The order is named for the shape of the cell walls (or valves or frustules) of pennate diatoms, which are elongated in valve view. The valves may be linear or oval in shape, and usually bear bilaterally symmetrical ornamental patterns. These patterns are composed of a series of transverse lines (known as striae) that can appear as rows of dots when viewed with an optical microscope. Some pennate diatoms also exhibit a fissure along their longitudinal axis. This is known as a raphe, and is involve

series of scientific expeditions, cruises and shore-based investigations into the biology of whales in the Southern Ocean

species of fish

thumb|upright=1.35| ---- Fish produce many eggs, typically about 1mm across, and usually release them into the open water column

zone with lowest oxygen saturation in seawater

wildland-ocean interface

reproductive physiology of fishes

study of how organisms affect and are affected by the physics, chemistry, and geology of the oceanographic system

biological water filter that uses light to grow algae which removes undesirable chemicals from aquarium water

mixture of dissolved mineral salts (and sometimes vitamins) that simulates seawater

organization

any life form too small for the naked human eye to see that lives in a marine environment

threat to the reef which reduces the viability and strength of reef-building corals

as defined by the WWF and The Nature Conservancy

excrement of whales and its role in the ecology of the oceans

Group of photosynthetic plankton