BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
Calcium carbonate-containing struc-
tures such as fish otoliths and mollusk
shells contain chemical signatures of the
composition of seawater in which they
formed. By comparing the otoliths or
shells of wild organisms to a database
of chemical signatures, researchers can
establish where an organism developed.SIMULATIONS
Researchers turn to computer simulations
when fieldwork is impractical, or when they
want to compare experimental data with
a particular theory. This is an especially
common approach for estimating the travel
patterns of larvae or planktonic organisms,
which can be moved great distances by
ocean currents. More-complex models
incorporate data on larval behavior to try to
boost predictive power.MEASURING MOVEMENT
Researchers study the movement of marine organisms using both direct and
indirect techniques. Some methods are only appropriate for some species,
and most groups try to use multiple methods to validate their results.MESA SCHUMACHER