▁The ▁station ▁is ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History , ▁which ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Institution ▁of ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Its ▁purpose ▁is ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁field ▁station ▁which ▁will ▁draw ▁scient ists ▁and ▁students ▁from ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁and ▁other ▁institutions ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world , ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁will ▁investigate ▁animals , ▁plants , ▁and ▁physical ▁processes ▁of ▁o ce ans ▁and ▁rivers . ▁The ▁information ▁obtained ▁at ▁the ▁station ▁will ▁be ▁published ▁in ▁forms ▁and ▁scientific ▁journ als . ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁provides ▁administrative ▁and ▁log ist ical ▁management ▁of ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Cor al ▁Re ef ▁E cos ystem s ▁Program , ▁that ▁is ▁based ▁at ▁the ▁Car rie ▁Bow ▁C ay ▁Field ▁Station . ▁Both ▁stations ▁are ▁important ▁to ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Marine ▁Science ▁Network . ▁ ▁Smith son ian ▁Marine ▁E cos ystem s ▁Ex hib it ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁key ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁S MS ▁is ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Marine ▁E cos ystem s ▁Ex hib it . ▁Their ▁focus ▁is ▁on ▁displaying ▁e cos ystem s ▁as ▁complex ▁communities ▁of ▁organ isms ▁interact ing ▁in ▁their ▁environment . ▁At ▁the ▁Marine ▁E cos ystem s ▁Ex hib it , ▁visitors ▁can ▁explore ▁six ▁different ▁Florida ▁marine ▁habit ats ▁and ▁learn ▁about ▁the ▁complexity ▁and ▁importance ▁of ▁marine ▁e cos ystem s . ▁The ▁largest ▁aqu arium ▁is ▁a ▁model ▁of ▁a ▁Car ib bean ▁cor al ▁re ef . ▁Other ▁displays ▁include