Expert: Walter Hintz - 4/7/2008

Question
QUESTION: I'm 16 years old and I want to be either a physical therapist or marine biologist, but I'm leaning towards the marine biology right now. Do marine biologists HAVE to study saltwater ecosystems or can there be freshwater included?

ANSWER: Marine biologists do study ecology as do freshwater biologists.  Both fields require extensive courses in biology and chemistry.  Ocean life however is different in some ways from that in freshwater.  I received a degree in Hydrobiology which is freshwater biology but have since spent a lot of time studying sea life.  It is easy to cross over from one to the other.  If you live near the ocean there are many colleges that offer courses in marine biology.  If you are near the midwest there are freshwater biology labs in Ohio and Michigan.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the info. But I'm trying to stay close to home. I'm in southern GA...close to the beach but I don't want to live at the beach. Is there any way I could stay here and study ecosystems like the river?


Answer
All ecosystems operate under the same conditions but the orgaisms differ  Ther are two places near you that you should look into
 Skidaway Institute of oceanogrophy and The Georgia Institute of Tech.

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