A principal aim of marine biology is to discover how ocean phenomena control the distribution of organisms. Marine biol.... marin century,

A principal aim of marine biology is to discover how ocean phenomena control the distribution of organisms. Marine biologists study the way in which particular organisms are adapted to the various chemical and physical properties of the seawater, to the movements and currents of the ocean, to the availability of light at various depths, and to the solid surfaces that make up the seafloor. During the second half of the 19th century, when the emphasis was on the collection, description, and cataloging of marine organisms, methods evolved for the capture and preservation of specimens for study. Late in the 19th century, the focus began to shift from collecting and cataloging to the systematic analysis of marine ecosystems and the ecological roles and behaviour of marine life. This research combined studies of marine flora and fauna, ocean currents, water temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels, and other factors in an effort to understand the relationship between marine animal! s and their environment. marin century,