What is the term for the study of marine plants and animals?

The study of marine plants and animals is accurately referred to as marine biology. This field specifically focuses on the biology of ocean organisms, their interactions with the environment, and the ecosystems within marine environments. Marine biologists research everything from the smallest microorganisms to the largest mammals in the ocean, exploring topics such as behavior, physiology, and ecology of marine life.

While the other terms provided relate to aquatic environments, they address different aspects of the study of water bodies. Aquatic science encompasses a broader range of studies related to water, including both freshwater and saltwater environments, and can encompass aspects of marine biology but is not limited to it. Limnology is specifically the study of inland waters, such as lakes and rivers, rather than oceans or marine systems. Oceanography, on the other hand, focuses on the physical and chemical properties of oceans, currents, waves, and geological characteristics, which are essential to understanding marine environments but do not directly focus on the biological aspects of marine plants and animals. Therefore, marine biology is the most precise term for the study of marine life.