metabolic activities which modify viscosity,, temperature, and other 

 physical characteristics of the water „ 



Considerable effort will continue to be directed to the problem of 

 marine biological particulates which may interfere with submarine 

 and anti-submarine warfare . Marine organisms have been shown to be 

 extraordinarily sensitive to changes in the ambient chemistry or 

 physical conditions of their environment. As more is learned about 

 these phenomena, there will be corresponding increases in the level 

 of effort „ Programs of research on poisonous and venomous fishes, 

 on the biology of sharks and shark repellents and on biologically 

 active substances from marine organisms have been underway for several 

 years and will be accelerated during FY-63. Of concern, is the 

 chemical identification and pharmacological action of these substances, 

 some of which are extremely potent and very different structurally 

 from related substances commonly used in drugs and medicines. 



Hydrographic Office FY-62 $ 



' FT-63 $ 



While the marine biology program of ONR is directed toward an under- 

 standing of the behavior, the physical and chemical characteristics 

 and the reaction to the environment of marine organisms, the Hydro- 

 graphic Office is directing its biological endeavors toward the 

 solution of operational problems . For example, fouling of ships and 

 underwater equipment ; damage to wood and other materials by shipworms 

 and other borers; bioluminescence, which can disclose the location 

 of ships and submarines at night ; scattering and attenuation of 

 underwater sound by plankton and nekton; and active interference with 

 sonar operations by sonic animals are problems that will be attacked. 



Using test panels and racks, the effects of fouling organisms and 

 marine borers on wood and underwater equipment will be studied. The 

 test equipment arrays will be located in shallow-water coastal areas 

 and at selected sites in deep ocean areas. Relationships between 

 abundance and distribution of plankton organisms and the intensity 

 of fouling will be studied, 



Bioluminescent phenomena are of increasing importance to the Navy. 

 Intensity of overall bioluminescence will be measured by photocells. 

 Direct enumeration of bioluminescent organisms will be accomplished 

 by using counters. Plankton from net collections and organisms 

 filtered from water samples will be analyzed. 



Primary productivity for various ocean areas will be estimated and 

 attempts will be made to develop direct methods of predicting marine 

 biological phenomena of importance to the Navy. 



Sounds produced by marine animals will be recorded and analyzed, and 

 the causative animals will be identified. This work will supplement 

 previous work and will speed the eventual collection of a reference 

 library of sounds produced by all sonic marine animals. 



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