The oceans were formed between 4400 and 3500 million years ago, and they occupy about 71% of the Earth’s surface. Tropical seas hold the highest ecosystem and species diversity of the oceans. This course has been designed to introduce the basic concepts of oceanography, marine geology, marine ecology and marine biology, with emphasis on the interaction between species, between species and their environment and between ecosystems. It also provides information on the natural and human environmental impact, and the utility, management and conservation of the ecosystems.
OBJECTIVES
1) Comprehend the concepts and issues addressed to marine biology.
2) Understand the current methodologies in this discipline as well as their importance in the management of natural marine resources.
3) Learn about Costa Rican marine ecosystems, biodiversity and environmental issues through field trips and field work in coral reefs, sandy and muddy beaches, mangroves and estuaries.
4) Learn about biology and ecology of species with commercial importance and the ecosystems.
5) Understand the importance of the balance and the harmony among different types of ecosystems.
CONTENTS
Unit 1. Introduction to the Course and the Region
1. Marine Biology vs. Oceanography
2. Marine and coastal environments in Costa Rica
3. Seasonal and Tropical Seas
Unit 2. Tropical Marine Biology and Geology
1. Formation of Oceanic Crust
2. Difference between Oceanic Crust and Continental Crust
3. Biological Importance of Plate Motion
4. Types of Plate Convergence
5. Biogeography of the Central American Isthmus
6. Ocean life zones (Division of marine environments)
7. Hydrothermal Vents
8. Adaptations to life in hydrothermal vents *
Unit 3. Physical and Chemical Oceanography
1. Water: Chemical composition
2. Composition of Sea Water
3. Difference between Conservative and Non-Conservative Properties
4. Formation of winds, waves, tides, surface and deep currents
5. Physiological adaptations of organisms to physical and chemical properties
Unit 4. Marine Ecology and Plankton
1. Marine Biodiversity
2. Marine Ecology
3. Definition of Plankton
4. Phytoplankton and zooplankton
5. Bioluminescence *
6. Blooms vs. Red Tides *
7. Plankton seasonal cycles
8. Productivity and Production
Unit 5. Marine Invertebrates *
1. Difference between invertebrates and vertebrates
2. Characteristics and life habits of:
- Porifera: Sponges
- Cnidarians: Corals, anemones, jellyfishes and comb jellies.
- Sea Worms
- Crustaceans: Lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, barnacles and Sea spiders
- Mollusks: Octopuses, squids, snails, slugs, shells of two valves (scallops, clams, oysters and mussels).
- Echinoderms: Sand dollars, sea stars and sea urchins
- Urochordata: Tunicates
Unit 6. Coral Reefs
1. Coral reefs: Rain forest of the ocean.
2. Difference between corals and coral reefs
3. Types of corals
4. Types of coral reefs.
5. Distribution of Coral Reef
6. Function and importance of coral reefs
7. Natural and human impacts on coral reefs
8. Coral reefs in Costa Rica
Unit 7. Other Coastal Ecosystems
1. Tropical marine algae
2. Description of main groups of algae
3. Seagrasses
4. Mangroves
5. Mangrove distribution
6. Estuaries
7. Intertidal zone
8. Types of intertidal zones
9. Interaction between tropical coastal ecosystems
10. Effects of oil exploration and exploitation on tropical coastal ecosystems *
11. Economic valuation of coastal ecosystems *
Unit 8. Marine Vertebrates-Sharks and Rays
1. All vertebrates
2. Sharks types and locomotion
3. Six senses
4. Reproduction
5. Feeding
6. Myths and Reality (Sharks attacks) *
7. Sharks Threats *
8. Sharks in Costa Rica
9. Rays types and feeding
Unit 9. Marine Vertebrates-Fishes
1. Hagfish And Lampreys
2. Bony Fishes:
- Form and Movement
- Respiration
- Feeding
- Reproduction
- Sensory reception *
- Behavior and communication *
Unit 10. Marine Vertebrates - Reptiles
1. Turtles, Birds, Crocodiles and Snakes
- Distribution
- Feeding
- Reproduction and Nesting cycle
- Orientation and navigation (Turtles)*
- Locomotion
- Special Adaptations
- Marine Reptiles Threats *
- Reptiles in Costa Rica
Unit 11. Marine Vertebrates-Mammals
1. Cetaceans, Sirenids and Carnivores
2. Distribution
3. Feeding
4. Locomotion
5. Special Adaptations
6. Communication skills *
7. Marine mammals threats *
8. Marine mammals in Costa Rica
Unit 12. Global Change Impact on Marine Life
1. El Niño & La Niña events
2. Biological Pump
3. Role of plankton on global change
4. Positive and negative feedback to green house effect
5. Sea level change *
* Possible subjects for student’s individual presentations
ATTENDANCE
The student's attendance to every class is mandatory. If a student gets sick or has some other important problem, he/she has to bring a document justifying their absence.
After 2 unjustified absences, students will fail the course.
METHODOLOGY
The classes are present with plenty of visual images and examples in power point presentations. Some classes are going to be complemented with movies as well. Students should participate in class discussions in order to have a better comprehension of the theory.
Assignments
Students should send the assignment by email to the professor by assigned the due date or will have 5 points off per week late.
Individual Presentation
Students will have to make one or two individual presentations (power point), depending on the number of students in the class, through the course. One of this presentation could be about any subject marked with a "*" on the course contents, the other presentation should be about a specific invertebrate student can choose.
The presentation should last 10-15min. Students should email the power point presentation to the professor 2 days before their presentation, if not, they will get 5 points off. The day for the student presentation coincides with the date of the lesson containing that subject.
Group Research Assignment
The assignment will be by groups of 2 or 3 people, depending on the number of students in the class, which have to research about any subject from the list given by the professor and make a power point presentation and a research paper.
The paper should be at least 10 double-spaced pages and includes at least 5 references. It will be evaluated based on well defined focus, structure and conclusions. The grade obtain in this paper will be the same for all the group members. The presentation should last from 20min. Each group member has to talk at least for 10 minutes and the evaluation on this part will be separately.
For All Presentations:
It will be evaluated based on preparation (knowledge assimilation), presentation style (organization, smoothness, and clarity), slides (preparation and organization), finishing the presentation in time, and answering questions.
Each student needs to fill out an evaluation form for every student speaker and return it to the professor by the end of the presentation or class. The professor will use this information to evaluate the speaker's presentation as well as the evaluators' skill to evaluate a presentation. The grade for the speaker will be assigned by the course professor (70%) and the class (30%).
FIELD TRIPS
This course includes two mandatory Laboratory Field Trips: (choices will depend on climate and turtle seasons); Probably one in the Pacific, Curú (Gulf of Nicoya), Playa Grande (Guanacaste), Playa Hermosa (Jacó), and one in the Caribbean Tortuguero Canals, Cahuita or Gandoca Manzanillo (Limón).
Lodging and main meals are covered by the course, but students should bring some extra money to buy water and other individual needs. Bring also swimming suit, towel, long and short pants, walking shoes, repellent and sunblock.
The mandatory field trips in this course are not excursions. Only students enrolled in this course may attend. Field work might include volunteer work such as trail cleaning, late night species monitoring, long walks on beaches or dense vegetation areas and other tasks that might be considered harsh or strenuous for students who have not taken an environmental science course or have not done fieldwork. Students must be on time for all fieldtrip related activities including departure, return and scheduled meal times. All though many of the reserves and parks have nearby modest lodge accommodations some of the stations or research areas might require tent lodging. Some of the national parks and reserves are in far away areas of the country or places with difficult access so students who get motion sickness from long bus rides might be uncomfortable in these field trips.
Field trip Report
Students will carry small note books for noting everything they see or learn while in the field and what they think about it. Each person’s journal will be unique to them, not only in that you will each notice different things, but you will each interpret similar things differently. This journal will help the students to write their fieldtrip report, which is a formal paper of your journal information.
The fieldtrip report contain information of what the student see and learn in the fieldtrip and what they think about the fieldtrip. The report should be about no less than two 1.5-spaced pages. Students should email it to the professor one week after the fieldtrip. (10pts off per day late)
DISTRIBUTION OF LESSONS
The course consist of 4 weeks of theory, four days a week, two hours a day, 48 hours in total, and 2 field trips as laboratories.
Unit
Activities and Assignments
1
Discuss course syllabus, trip logistics, group presentations…
2
Movie on Seasonal Seas.
Homework: Read “How the American isthmus of Panama ...”
3.1 to 3.4
3.5
1st. Quiz: (Unit 1 to 3.4)
Internet practice: Look for adaptations of organisms to physical and chemical properties of the ocean. Each student should hand in the information found at the end of the class.
4
Homework: Read hydrothermal vents reading
5
6
Homework: Answer some questions from “Corals and Coral Reefs” reading.
Movie on Coral Reefs
2nd Quiz: (Unit 3.5 to 5 )
7
Midterm
test
Unit 1 to Unit 5.
The movies and readings would be evaluated in the test too.
8
9
10
Conference on Marine Reptiles (Roberto Quirós)
3rd. Quiz: (Unit 7 to 9)
Conference on Marine Animals Threats
11
Movie on Global Change: “An Inconvenient Truth”
12
Group Work: Read Climate Now or How Plankton Change the Climate, present their article in class and hand in a brief abstract.
Research Assignment Presentations
4rd. Quiz: (Unit 10 to 12)
Students have to hand in the Research Paper.
Research Assignment Presentations
Final Test
Units 6 to 12
The movies and readings would be evaluated in the test too.
EVALUATION SYSTEM
Theory (70%)
Presentations 15%
Class Participation and quices 5%
Midterm Tests (Units 1 to 6) 30%
Final Test (Units 7 to 12) 30%
Group Research Paper (5%) and Presentation (15%) 20%
Laboratory (30%)
Field trip 1 50%
Field trip 2 50%
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Goreau, T.F., N.I. Goreau & T.J. Goreau. 1979. Corals and Coral Reefs. Scientific American. August, 1996: 124-136.
Gribbin, J. 1991. Climate Now. New Scientist, 44:1-4
Janzen, H.D. 1983. Costa Rican Natural History. The University of Chicago Press. 789p.
Lutz, P.L. & J.A. Musick. 1996. The Biology of Sea Turtles. CRC Press, Boca Ratón, Florida. 432p.
Moyle, P.B. & J.J. Cech. 2003. Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology. 5th Edition. Benjamin Cummings. 672p.
Nibakken, J.W. & M.D. Bertness. 2005. Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach. 6th ed. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, 579p.
Reynolds III, J.E. & S.A. Rommel. 1999. Biology of Marine Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press. 578p.
Ruppert, E.E. & R.D. Barnes. 1996. Zoología de los Invertebrados. 6ª Ed. Interamericana S.A. Mexico. 1114p.
Rutzler, K. & I.C. Feller. 1996. Caribbean Mangrove Swamps. Scientific American. March, 1996: 70-75
Williamson, P. & J. Gribbin. 1991. How Plankton Change the Climate. New Scientist, 44:48-52
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