Introduction to Marine Biology (FW2003)*

Now with an optional summer field course:
‘Tropical Island Marine Ecology Lab'

 

Marine Biology

Spring 2009
3 credits
MWF 12:50-1:40
495 Hodson Hall (St. Paul)

Topics Covered:
Marine mammal biology
Fish biology
Coral reefs
Deep sea
Marine conservation

* Freshman biology or Oceanography or permission of the instructor is required.
** see below


CONTACT:  Peter W. Sorensen (soren003@umn.edu; 612-624-4997)


FW 2003 Marine Biology – tentative Syllabus
Prerequisites: Biol1001 or Biol1009 or Biol2012, or Geol1006 or Instructor Consent
Location and Time: Hodson Hall 495, St. Paul, MWF 12:50-1:40 Spring semester.

Instructor:
Professor Peter W. Sorensen
132 Hodson Hall
St. Paul, MN 55108
Soren003@umn.edu
612-224-4997
Office Hours: 3:30-4:30, Mondays or By Appointment.

TAs: This class has a part-time TAs who will give a few lectures, help grade exams, lead discussions   and assist with the field course (see below) Erin Roche manages the Web-CT site and associated grade book and quizzes (roche042@umn.edu).

Text: Castro, P and M.E. Huber. 2006. Marine Biology, 6ed. McGraw Hill (ISBN 978-0-07-283064). 460pp
(note the 5th edition of this text lacks several updates of moderate significance so I cannot recommend purchasing it). The University bookstore has the text.  I will be following the text closely and recommend you purchase the 6ed.

Description and goals: Our planet is nearly three-quarters ocean in which the majority of world’s organisms live in a variety of fascinating and complex ecosystems, most of which are still poorly understood. Understanding these systems is not only interesting but important to the survival of our species. This course will provide an introduction to the major groups of organisms found in the oceans, the diversity and ecology of the organisms found in coastal, open and deep seas, and the effects of human civilization on these systems. Selected key advances in the study of marine fishes, marine mammals, pollution and other topics of special interest to basic biology, conservation and society will be addressed in more detail. There will be biweekly discussion sessions of assigned Scientific American articles.  The overarching goal of the course is to produce well-informed global citizens who understand the basic biology of the planet well enough to purse scientific and other interests at a higher level.  Successful students will be able to accomplish the following tasks after the completing this class:

  1. Describe the major groups of organisms that live in the oceans and their biology
  2. Describe the basic ecology of these organisms and their inter-connectiveness.
  3. Describe the importance of the ocean to the evolution of life on our planet.
  4. Discuss the constraints the aquatic environment imposes on oceanic life forms.
  5. Discuss the importance of marine life to the global ecosystem.
  6. Discuss marine conservation and human impacts on marine life and visa versa.

Optional field course.  An optional field course is offered in the Bahamas each August for 2 credits.

 

Web Support:
Class material (ex. PowerPoint presentations, syllabus, announcements, quizzes, etc.) will be available on a WebCT site: ‘FW 2003 - Section 001 - Spr 2007’. 

To access this site please do the following:
1) Follow the link http://www.onestop.umn.edu/
2) Under ‘Quick Links’ click on ‘WebCT’
3) Click ‘Site Login’
4) Under heading ‘Access WebCT Sites” click on “myU Login”
5) Supply login information
6) Scroll down to ‘Courses’ and select desired WebCT course website.

Excellent support information has also been provided by the textbook and is found at: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072830646/information_center_view0/.

 

Exams and Evaluation:
Grades will be based on two quizzes, a midterm, a final exam, and class participation.  Each exam will cover all material up to the time of the exam, emphasizing most recently presented material.  Exams will require multiple choice and short answer responses, some portions of which will be given on line. Material from assigned readings and video presentations may be included on exams even if not explicitly discussed in lecture. Class participation will be based on biweekly 20-min discussion sessions of articles, some of which may be selected by the class.  If students wish, they may write an extra credit 4-6 page paper for an additional 10% of the grade. Grading will be as follows:
                        20% Quizzes (10% each),
                        30% Mid-Term exam
                        30% Final Exam
                        20% Class Participation/ discussion.
                        100%

Plus possibility of extra-credit paper for an additional 10% which is averaged into the grade

 

Tentative Syllabus.

PART I. PRINCIPALS OF MARINE SCIENCE

Introduction to Discipline of Marine Biology                                Chapter 1
1. Introduction to the Course (Jan. 23)
2  The Science which is Marine Biology

 

Introduction to Oceans                                                                Chapter 2
3. The Water planet and origins of the Ocean Basins
4. The Structure of the Basins and their Geology

Class Discussion

 

Chemistry and Physics of Sea Water                                             Chapter 3
5. Chemistry of Sea Water, Guest lecture: Dr. Katsumi Matsumoto
6. Physics of Sea Water

 

Fundamentals of Biology                                                               Chapter 4
7. Challenges of Life in the Sea
8. Diversity of Sea Life, BBC Blue Planet video: ‘Ocean World’ 
      
Class Discussion

 

PART II. THE ORGANISMS OF THE SEA

The Microbial World                                                                  Chapter 5
9. Prokaryotes
10. Unicellular Algae          
11. Protozoans and Fungi

Class Discussion

 

Seaweeds and Plants                                                                   Chapter 6
12. Seaweeds, Guest Lecturer: Candice Lavelle
13. Plants

            QUIZ

Marine Invertebrates                                                                  Chapter 7
14. Sponges and Worms
15. Molluscs and Arthropods, Guest lecturer: Dr. Karen Mesce
16. Quiz review
Class Discussion

 

Marine Fishes                                                                            Chapter 8
17. Introduction, Marine Fishes-1
18. Marine Fishes-sharks

Marine Reptiles, Birds and Mammals                                            Chapter 9
19. Marine Tetrapods, Sea Birds, Guest Lecturer: Erin Roche
20. Marine fishes - 2
21. Class Discussion
22. Marine fishes, review

MID-TERM EXAM

March 17-21                  SPRING BREAK

25. Marine Mammals (March 24)

PART III.  STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

Introduction to Marine Ecology                                                   Chapter 10
26. Exam review/ The Flow of Energy (March)

 

Between the tides                                                                       Chapter  11
27. Rocky Shores, Inter-tidal Communities , BBC video: ‘The Tidal Seas’ (March)
28. Soft Bottoms (March)

Estuaries                                                                                   Chapter  12
29. The Geology of Estuaries (March)
30. Estuarine Ecosystems,  Guest Lecturer: Candice Lavelle (March)

Continental Shelf                                                                       Chapter 13
31. Life on/above the Shelf

 

Coral Reefs                                                                                Chapter 14
32. Organisms of the Reef, BBC Blue Planet video: ‘Coral Seas’
33. Reef ecology, Guest Lecturer: Candice Lavelle

 

Life near the Surface                                                                  Chapter 15
34. Organisms of the Epipelagic, BBC Blue Planet video: The Open Ocean
35. Epipelagic Food Webs
36. Flex

QUIZ

 

The Deep Sea                                                                             Chapter 16
37. The Twilight world, BBC Blue Planet video: ‘The Deep’
38. The World of Darkness
39. The Sea Floor, Guest Lecturer: Candice Lavelle

 

The Polar Seas                                                                           -To Be Assigned-
40. The Arctic, BBC Blue Planet video: ‘Frozen Seas’

PART IV.  HUMANS AND SEA

Resources from the sea                                                                            Chapter 17
41. Living Resources (Fisheries)
40. Mariculture, Guest Lecturer
41. Non-living marine Resources, Flex

 

The Impact of Humans on the Seas                                                           Chapter 18
42. Marine Pollution and Global warming
43. BBC Blue Planet video: ‘Deep Trouble’, Review (May 9)

 

FINAL EXAM: