For example, aquatic chemists are interested in organic, inorganic and trace-metal chemistry. Physical limnologists and oceanographers are concerned with water movements on all scales, from global circulation patterns to small-scale mixing. Marine geologists study the processes that have led to the formation of the ocean basins, and the ways in which geothermal and other geological processes interact with seawater. Geologists working in freshwater systems may be interested in the record of past climates or organisms found in the sediments. Optical limnologists and oceanographers are interested in the factors that affect the transmission of light through the water.
Biologists study living things and their interaction with each other and the environment.
Some study single species, others may examine how two or more species interact, and still others seek to understand the workings of an entire ecosystem. Many of these scientists work at the boundaries of these disciplines. Chemists may study the effect of compounds released by organisms on, for example, trace metal chemistry or the transport and distribution of chemicals due to water mass movement. Aquatic science is interdisciplinary. While most aquatic scientists work primarily in one area, they draw on information from all fields.