BIOSM 3650 - Underwater Research

Summer. 3 credits.

Prerequisite: one semester of college-level biology or equivalent, recognized SCUBA certification, and approval to SCUBA dive at Shoals. Offered in Maine at Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island.

J. Coyer, E. Siddon.

The primary goal of Underwater Research is to provide guidance and opportunities for students to conduct original research underwater. Although working underwater creates a unique set of conditions and constraints, the essence of good research remains unchanged regardless of location. Accordingly, a large portion of the course is devoted to the concept of research, particularly as it applies to subtidal marine ecology.

Outcome 1: Understanding of basic principles in marine ecology, including competition, predation, and direct and indirect interactions, and how these forces shape the marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Maine.

Outcome 2: Familiarization with subtidal algae, invertebrates, and fishes inhabiting diving depths around the Isles of Shoals, including species identification and life history characteristics.

Outcome 3: Understanding of hypothesis testing, as well as aspects of experimental design including sampling method, replication, and controls.

Outcome 4: Understanding of introductory statistics, including student’s t-test, ANOVA, and regression analyses.

Outcome 5: Experience in designing and implementing an independent research project by observing patterns in the subtidal ecosystem and formulating testable hypotheses to explain the patterns.

Outcome 6: Experience in analyzing and summarizing collected field data.

Outcome 7: Experience in writing a formal Research Proposal based on the independent research project (design, data collection, analyses).

Outcome 8: Experience in critiquing and evaluating original research proposals in an oral presentation and group discussion format.

Outcome 9: Understanding fundamental principles of diving physics and physiology relevant to a working scientific diver.

Outcome 10: Becoming certified in fundamental skills in First Aid, O2 administration, and CPR.