EAS 5620 - Marine Ecosystem Sustainability

(CU-SBY)

Fall. Offered alternate years. 3 credits. Letter grades only (S/U grades with permission of instructor).

Prerequisite: BIOEE 1610. Enrollment limited to: 50 students. Co-meets with BIOEE 4620/EAS 4620. Students enrolled in EAS 5620 are required to complete an additional project.

C. Greene, D. Harvell.

Lectures and discussion focus on current research in marine ecosystems with an emphasis on processes unique to marine systems and current issues of ocean sustainability. A synthetic treatment of multiple levels or organization in the ocean including organismal, population, community, and ecosystems. Examples are drawn from all types of marine habitats, including polar seas, temperate coastal waters, and tropical coral reefs.

Outcome 1: Students understand how coral reefs work.

Outcome 2: Students understand how microorganisms structure habitats.

Outcome 3: Students understand role of major pelagic species.

Outcome 4: Students can read and discuss a research paper.

Outcome 5: Students understand oceanographic processes.

Outcome 6: Students understand biological/ecological processes.

Outcome 7: Students prepare by reading scientific papers and then produce their own research proposal.