Catalog Course Description

This course focus on the interactions among marine organisms and on their relationship to the environment. Topics include an overview of marine organisms, functioning of marine ecosystems, anthropogenic impacts, climate change impacts, and conservation. Lectures consist of discussions of primary literature, videos, and student presentations; and discussion sections review and expand on topics covered in lecture. By the end of the course, you should be able to compare marine ecosystems, identify the major marine organisms and explain their role within a community, explain the main abiotic factors affecting the dynamics and distribution of marine species, and discuss how human communities and marine organisms and ecosystem affect one another.

Fall Term

3 hours of Instructor presentation of course materials per week and 8 hours of Outside Work Hours per week and 1 hours of The exchange of opinions or questions on course material per week.

Summer Term

6 hours of Instructor presentation of course materials per week and 15 hours of Outside Work Hours per week and 2 hours of The exchange of opinions or questions on course material per week.

Spring Term

3 hours of Instructor presentation of course materials per week and 8 hours of Outside Work Hours per week and 1 hours of The exchange of opinions or questions on course material per week.