Library Research Guides: Biology 104: Marine Life: Home

Marine Life Research Project

This guide will help students locate resources for marine life research topics for both BIOL G104 (Lecture) and BIOL G104L (Laboratory).

Bureau of Land Management California. "California Coastal National Monument." Flickr, 04 February 2024, https://flic.kr/p/2qxSRmS. Accessed 25 February 2025.

Selected Marine Life Books available at the GWC Library

eBooks:

Click "PDF Full-text" to view the contents of the ebook.
Most are 1 view at a time - if you get a message that the title is "in use," retry the link later.
"Unlimited Views" means that multiple students may access and view the title at the same time.

Into the Deep : Science, Technology, and the Quest to Protect the Ocean by Christy Peterson
Call Number: eBook (click title to access)
ISBN: 9781541555556
Publication Date: 2020
Private Oceans : The Enclosure and Marketisation of the Seas by Fiona McCormack
Call Number: eBook (click title to access)
ISBN: 9780745399157
Publication Date: 2018
Vanished Ocean: How Tethys Reshaped the World by Dorrik Stow
Call Number: eBook (click title to access)
ISBN: 9780199214280
Publication Date: 2010
Vanishing Ice: Glaciers, Ice Sheets, and Rising Seas by Vivien Gornitz
Call Number: eBook (click title to access)
ISBN: 9780231548892
Publication Date: 2019

General Collection Books:

These books are located on the 3rd floor of the LRC and are available to check out for 3 weeks at a time. Show your GWC Student ID at the Public Services Desk (2nd Floor) to take them out of the library.

Atlas of the Biodiversity of California, Second Edition by California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Call Number: REFERENCE - 2nd Floor ; G1526.D1 A8 2021
ISBN: 9781792355707
Publication Date: 2021
Also available on the Department of Fish and Wildlife website: Atlas Online
The California Current: Pacific ecosystem and its Fliers, Divers, and Swimmers by Stan Ulanski
Call Number: General Collection - 3rd Floor ; QH95.3 .U53 2016
ISBN: 9781469628240
Publication Date: 2016
Citizens of the Sea: Wonderous Creatures from the Census of Marine Life by Nancy Knowlton
Call Number: General Collection - 3rd Floor ; QL121 .K56 2010
ISBN: 9781426206436
Publication Date: 2010
Underwater Wild: My Octopus Teacher's Extraordinary World by Craig Foster; Ross Frylinck
Call Number: General Collection - 3rd Floor ; QH541.5.K4 F67 2021
ISBN: 9780358664758
Publication Date: 2021

Find Credible Information: Library Databases

Library Databases are where you will find credible articles, including scholarly research.

Scholarly Sources:

Looking up a marine species? Search databases first using their scientific name and then any common one(s).

Biological Science Database
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Basic Search (3 minutes)
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Advanced Search (2 minutes)
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Search Results (3 minutes)
This database includes the renowned Biological Sciences, MEDLINE, and TOXLINE databases and provides full-text titles from around the world, including scholarly journals, trade and industry journals, magazines, technical reports, conference proceedings, and government publications. The database includes specialized, editorially-curated resources providing access to the extensive variety of biology’s cutting-edge research, with applications to medicine, technology, and the environment.
**If scholarly sources are required by your assignment, limit your results to "Peer Reviewed."
Academic Search Complete
Video Tutorial: Academic Search Complete (3 minutes)
This comprehensive scholarly and multi-disciplinary full-text database includes more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals.
**If required by your assignment, you may limit your results to "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals."

Newspapers will help you find current information about current events, recent species or conservation status, and findings.

These are credible but not scholarly resources. See if the article refers to a journal, study, or scientist.

U.S. Newsstream
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Search Results (3 minutes)
Best for: Finding current information in daily newspapers.
This database enables users to search the most recent premium U.S. news content, as well as archives that stretch back into the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites in full-text format. Exclusive access to the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, New York Times and co-exclusive access (with Factiva) to The Wall Street Journal. U.S. Newsstream also offers one of the largest collections of local and regional newspapers.
Newspaper Source Plus
Video Tutorial: Newspaper Source Plus (2 minutes)
Newspaper Source Plus includes more than 860 full-text newspapers, providing more than 35 million full-text articles. In addition, the database features more than 857,000 television and radio news transcripts.

A to Z Database List
The GWC Library subscribes to many other databases beyond those listed here. Follow this link to discover more.

Find Credible Information: Websites

Government Websites:

Species Information: California

California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Marine Region
The Mission of the Department of Fish and Wildlife is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public. The Marine Region serves the California coastline from border to border.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Habitat
The Mission of the Department of Fish and Wildlife is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public. Their Conservation website has sections containing information on species management, species data, and habitat conservation.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Threatened and Endangered Species
The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) is a California environmental law that conserves and protects plant and animal species at risk of extinction. Approximately 250 plant and animal species are currently listed under CESA. This website contains a list of them with notes on alternate names or federal name differences.

On the website above, CA Fish and Wildlife, see the lists on the bottom of the page under the heading "California's Threatened and Endangered Species" for updated lists. These lists are where you will choose your species for your project.**

NOTE: Choosing migratory species will require students to dig deeper into other state and international policies relating to their endangered status.

Remember to select only those species which have the following headings:

SE "State Listed - Endangered"
FE "Federally Listed - Endangered"
ST "State Listed - Threatened"
FT "Federally Listed - Threatened"

See links below for direct access:

**Threatened or Endangered Animal Species List (PDF)
State and Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Animals of California: January 2025.
California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
more...less...
This document contains a list of animal taxa found within California or off the coast of the State that have been classified as endangered or threatened by the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC; state listed) or by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior or the U.S. Secretary of Commerce (federally listed).
**Threatened or Endangered Plant Species List (PDF)
State and Federally Listed, Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants of California: January 2025.
California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
more...less...
This document contains a list of California plant taxa that have been officially classified as Endangered, Threatened, or Rare by the California Fish & Game Commission (FGC; state listed) or by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior or the U.S. Secretary of Commerce (federally listed).

Species Information: Federal

**U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: ECOS for species in California
The Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS) is a gateway website that provides access to data systems in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other government data sources. This central point of access provides public access to information from numerous Service databases.
NOAA Fisheries: Endangered Species Conservation
NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the protection, conservation, and recovery of endangered and threatened marine and anadromous species under the Endangered Species Act. The ESA aims to conserve these species and the ecosystems they depend on. To implement the ESA, we work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations and private citizens.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Endangered Species
As the principal federal partner responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the USF&WS takes the lead in recovering and conserving our nation's imperiled species. Website includes information regarding both plants and animals. Search by common or scientific name, state or by county.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Endangered Species - Recovery Plans Search
See if your species has an associated "Recovery Plan". These plan profiles include information on the status of the species such as where it is listed, special rules, critical habitat, Federal Register announcements and notices, Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP), National Wildlife Refuges, and other details that apply to the specific species.

Species Information: International

IUCN Red List
Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungus and plant species. The IUCN Red List is used by government agencies, wildlife departments, conservation-related non-governmental organizations (NGOs), natural resource planners, educational organizations, students, and the business community.
See box on this page for advanced searching tips.

Habitat Information:

California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - CA Department of Fish and Wildlife
On this page:
Find an MPA in an interactive map, get an overview, read news, obtain data, and see frequently asked questions regarding our state's Marine Protected Areas.
U.S. Geological Survey: Science for a Changing World
The USGS website provides information about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods; the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on; the health of our ecosystems and environment; and the impacts of climate and land-use change.
US Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management manages public lands and resources for multiple uses, from conservation and wildlife to energy and forestry to recreation and interpretation.

Other Agencies or Nonprofit Websites:

Choose carefully and consider bias.

The Cousteau Society
The Cousteau Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to marine research, especially underwater exploration and filmmaking. Created in 1973 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his son, Jean-Michel Cousteau, the Society provides educational materials, and sponsors or cosponsors scientific, technological and environmental research studies to gauge the health of the world's marine environments.
Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. The organization seeks to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems, prevent marine pollution, climate change, and advocates against practices that threaten oceanic and human life.
Wildlife Guide: National Wildlife Federation
Since 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has worked across the country to unite Americans from all walks of life in giving wildlife a voice. This guide includes detailed information about each species listed.
World Wildlife Foundation
The WWF's mission is the conservation of nature. The site has links and information regarding all types of endangered species and habitats.

Biology 104: Marine Life

Course Reserves (Textbooks and other materials)

For research help and more: Ask a GWC Librarian!

Library Hours: Spring 2025

Library Building:

Mon - Thurs: 8 am - 5 pm

Friday: 8 am - 12:30 pm

Online Research Help:

Mon - Thurs: 8 am - 8 pm*

Friday: 8 am - 3 pm*

Saturdays: February 8th to March 29th, 9 am - 1 pm

Library Links

Current Marine Biology News

Updated news articles from ScienceDaily