Scientific Method: Case Study

Scientific Method

Field Observations vs. Controlled Experiments

1. Field Observations (in situ)• Natural setting

• Uncontrolled variables

• Examples?

2. Controlled Experiment (usually ex situ)• Fewer uncontrolled variables

• Test one or a few variable(s) at a time

• Artificial setting (especially ex situ)

Scientific Method

History

HistoryA. Early History

1. Aristotle – Described forms, recognized gills

2. Explorers (Eriksson, Columbus, Magellan, Drake) – Learned about winds, currents, physical characteristics

HistoryA. Early History

1. Cook (1768-1779) – Took full-time naturalist on crew

2. Darwin (1831-1836) – Sailed on HMS Beagle– Collected plankton

– Proposed theory of coral atoll formation

– Studied and described barnacles

HistoryB. Oceanographic Expeditions

• Began in mid 1800s

• Edward Forbes (British)• Father of Biological Oceanography• Sampled sea floor life extensively• First to recognize that different organisms are found at different depths

• Before Forbes’ time, many people regarded the deep ocean as azoic

• Early work by Rosses showed life on deep sea floor

History

HMS Challenger Expedition: 1872 – 1876

Modern Marine Biology

SONAR (SOund NAvigation Ranging)

SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus)

Modern Marine Biology

Marine LabsA. Stazione Zoologica (Naples)

• Founded in 1872 by German scientists

B. Marine Biological Lab (Plymouth, England)• Founded in 1879

C. Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole)• Established in 1888

D. Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SD)• Opened in 1903

E. Hopkins Marine Station (CA)

F. Friday Harbor Marine Laboratory (WA)

Modern Marine Biology

Oceanographic Research Vessels

R/V Thomas G. Thompson

R/V FLIP

DSV Alvin

Modern Marine Biology

Theseus IFREMER AUV

ROV Jason

Modern Marine Biology

Remote Sensing

Geography