Applying to grad school for marine biology

[Seagal]

I'm in the process of applying to grad school for marine biology for Fall 2021. Unfortunately most of the responses I get from professors say they are not accepting new students or need students, but don't have the funding. Then there are those I wrote a letter of intent to twice and never received a response so I figured they weren't interested.  I want to do my research on the impact of climate change on predator/prey relationships  and behaviors with invertebrates. My question is, though I don't really want to work with fish, am i limiting my chances of getting into grad school by just wanting to research invertebrates? Or would working in a lab researching the same interest area but with fish instead eventually be beneficial to researching the area with invertebrates possibly in the lab or as a PHD student?

[SpaceWitch]

I would keep your options open - your research interest is very specific and you could be limiting your options. Professors are constantly writing grants and new collaborations come up all the time. Consider joining a lab that maybe has 1 or 2 of the aspects of your research interests (and a PI who you connect with, and who is aware that you have research interests outside the scope of their work) and then try to fund your project later by writing your own small grants, applying for fellowships, etc. IF you can fund your research via one of those mechanisms, you have more freedom to decide what you study and why, and your PI will likely be open to supporting you in those pursuits.

[BrettNorman]

Continue your research and experimental work! I hope you find someone to help you and
will cooperate.

Edited September 28, 2021 by BrettNorman