The Department of Marine Biology and Ecology (MBE) is dedicated to enhancing our understanding of marine organisms and their interrelationships with their biotic and physical environments. The pursuit of this understanding involves studies of physiology, genetics, ecology, behavior, population dynamics, connectivity, toxicology and conservation science. Study organisms are from coastal and oceanic ecosystems, from seagrass to corals, plankton to seabirds, and minnows to marlins.
Enhancing our understanding of marine systems requires research, the education of undergraduates and training of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. We strive to provide our students with the tools, training and opportunities to pursue cross-disciplinary research and develop integrative thinking that will impact our understanding of fundamental biological processes and the conservation of marine life. MBE faculty pursue these goals to address important societal problems including the degradation and depletion of habitats and species, the effects of climate change, and the unsustainable exploitation of marine resources.