For a more detailed description of
1. Core Courses – Required for all degrees (OCOR)
2.
M.S. Coastal Zone Management Electives (CZMT)
3.
M.S. Marine Biology Electives (OCMB)
4.
M.S. Marine Environmental Sciences Electives (MEVS)
5.
M.S. Physical Oceanography (MSPO)
6.
Ph.D. Oceanography/Marine Biology (OCGY)
OCOR 5601 Concepts in Physical Oceanography/ 3 credits.
Introduction to how wind, radiation, gravity, friction, and the Earth's
rotation determine the ocean's temperature and salinity patterns and currents.
Conceptual models (geostrophy, Ekman
transport, Rossby waves, etc.) explain physical features
of the ocean ranging from microscopic turbulence to global circulation.
Prerequisite: algebra.
OCOR 5602 Marine Ecosystems / 3 credits. A study of the major plankton, nektonic, and benthic groups and
associations, including their diversity, distribution, metabolism, production, trophic relationships, and ecological roles, with emphasis
on coastal communities.
OCOR 5603 Biostatistics I / 3 credits. Practical applications of descriptive and inferential statistics
with emphasis on principles and methods of summarizing biological data. Measures of central tendency, disperson
and variability testing, basic concepts of probability distributions,
hypothesis testing and decision making. Simple
statistical tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA- single classification, nested
and two-way), linear regression, and correlation.
OCOR 5604 Marine Geology / 3 credits. The
origin, form, and resources of the ocean basins and continental margins
including a discussion of seafloor spreading, trenches and island arcs,
mountain building, coral reefs and atolls, sedimentation, ocean mining, coastal
morphology, and the impact of wave action and human activities on beaches and
coasts, continental shelves, and submarine canyons.
OCOR 5605 Marine Chemistry / 3 credits. A
study of the properties, composition, and origin of seawater; the importance,
distribution, relationships, and cycling of the major inorganic nutrients,
dissolved gases, trace metals, and organic compounds; and the use of
radiotracers for water mass dating.
OCOR 5606 Biostatistics II/ 3 credits. Prerequisite: Biostatistics I or similar
course. This is an intermediate/advanced course in the practical applications
of descriptive and inferential statistics with emphasis on advanced methods of
analyzing biological data. Topics will include: power analysis; analysis of
variance (ANOVA); linear regression and correlation; data transformations; and
non-parametric methods. Additional topics may include: goodness-of-fit tests;
multiple and curvilinear regression techniques.
Statement of Expected
Outcomes: these outcomes encompass program completion, effectiveness of
teaching and curricula, and the extent to which students are prepared for
employment.
CZMT 0603 Law and the Coastal Zone / 3 credits.
General instruction in legal fields and in selected environmental sciences,
combined with in-depth study of administration of maritime industries and
coastal activities. Focuses on the regulation of marine and
maritime pursuits that pertain to the coastal zone and adjacent territorial waters.
CZMT 0605 Coastal Protection and Engineering / 3 credits. Evaluation of the practices of coastal and offshore engineering in
terms of impact on the shoreline. Causes of both desired and unwanted
modifications of coastal configuration are described from a practical point of
view. Aspects of applied geomechanics are considered,
in relation to civil, military, and industrial engineering projects.
CZMT 0609 Principles of Coastal Zone Management / 3 credits.
Management of coastal resources, based on the principles and techniques of a
diverse array of disciplines, discussed in terms of a balanced coastal
strategy. Practical solutions to conflicts of use, especially those of coastal
zone protection versus land, mineral, and water development practices, are
studied in relation to their impact on the coastal resource base.
CZMT 0610 Dry Coastal Ecosystems / 3 credits. A
comprehensive review of coastal drylands comprising
dune strands, barrier beaches, old dunes, hammocks, and the sub-maritime
fringe. The complexities and subtleties of ecological relationships and
importance of organic resources in this zone are emphasized.
CZMT 0612 Coastal Policy / 3 credits. This
web-based distance education course explores the issues, problems, and
potential political and public policy solutions to the challenges of achieving
smart, sustainable stewardship of the seashores. Primary emphasis is on the
United States experience. Students read two outstanding books and participate
in on- line activities including original case studies, on-line tests, and
selected interactive discussion with each other, the professor, and guests.
Optional weekend or extended 3-credit field trips to experience and examine
coastal policy venues in Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach (Florida, USA) and other
coastal locations will also be available.
CZMT 0613 Environmental Policy/3 credits. This course deals with the
current governmental policies that affect the environment. Discussions will
center specifically on those policies that affect the needs of the earth’s
biota and society. The course also addresses the recent changes in
environmental policies that relate to human health risk, ecological risk, and
economics. Specific concepts reviewed include ecological integrity, economic
growth, carrying capacity, biodiversity, ecosystem health, resilience, and
sustainability.
CZMT 0614 International Integrated Coastal Zone Management / 3
credits. This
web-based distance education course focuses on the international dimensions of
integrated coastal zone management. Students will first examine the major
"big picture" issues affecting the world's coastal areas and oceans,
and will examine seven case studies that will help to bring alive the grave
problems of mismanaging coastal and economic resources: the Black Sea,
Newfoundland, the Louisiana Region of the Gulf of Mexico, Belize, the Marshall
Islands, and Antarctica. The second part of the course will provide students
with the opportunity to study major international conferences, treaties, and
policy principles (including the Law of the Sea). In the final third of the
course, students will examine regional as well as selected country coastal-zone
policies. Students completing this course will be familiar with the most
important aspects of Integrated Coastal Zone Management globally and will have
a basis for comparison of these policies. Students will also be in a position
to assess the costs and benefits of different coastal zone management
strategies around the world.
CZMT 0621
CZMT 0622 Coastal Water Resource Impacts / 3 credits. This
course is oriented toward a systems analysis of the multiple uses that shape
the coastal zone. Emphasis is on the multiple uses of the coastal zone and
their associated impacts. In addition, the current "balancing" of
development and environmental protection policies of state and federal
government and how these policies have affected the coastal environment are
discussed. The course not only deals with specific environmental problems but
also analyzes the problems and prospects of effective planning, technical
management, regulation, and legislation used for managing the coastal
environment.
CZMT 0625 Bio-Physical Interactions in the Ocean / 3 credits. The
need exists to better understand the integrated biological-physical
interactions in the marine ecosystem, particularly when studying the role of
the oceans in climate change. This course is designed to study the impact of
physical processes on marine ecology in small and large spatial scales.
Emphasis is placed on the biology and how production at all trophic
levels is impacted as a consequence of the physical environment. Prerequisites:
Marine Ecosystems and Physical Oceanography are not prerequisites but they will
be helpful.
CZMT 0630 Life on a Water Planet: Challenges for the new
millennium / 3 credits. Life on a Water Planet has four broad aims:
(1) to provide a holistic and current perspective on key water issues that
includes ecological, socio-economic, historical and cultural perspectives,
together with consideration of the water needs of other species; (2) to provide
a forum for sharing understandings and perspectives; (3) to help you shift your
perception of our planet from "the earth" to "water"; (4)
to encourage you to take information and knowledge about water issues from a
broad base and apply it to your own community or individual situation. The course
is organized into ten units which involve readings available as direct links
with the course homepage, online activities and discussion, and optional web
resources for further exploration and study.
CZMT 0634 Oil Pollution Effects / 3 credits. The
focus of this course is the impact of petroleum hydrocarbons on natural and
human environments. The course is designed to provide a background in petroleum
chemistry, natural resources, and human resources at risk; effects and fate of
spilled hydrocarbons; relevant regulations; and spill contingency planning.
Data are drawn from recent publications in petroleum and environmental
research, from case studies of actual spills, and from various contingency
plans. Students have the opportunity to participated
in a spill drill, study recent spill sites, review area contingency plans, and
use computer-generated (Georgraphic Information
Systems) maps for oil spill response.
CZMT 0636 Marine Mammal Management / 3 credits. An
interdisciplinary approach to examining the present state of the relationship
between marine mammals, people and the environment: as this has evolved over
time, as it stands today, and as it is likely to be for the future, whether by
default or design. The marine mammal and environment relationship is extremely
complex and fluid. It changes depending upon place and time, and the rate of
this change is accelerating along with related developments such as population
and economic growth, technological capacity, and our expanding use of the
world's oceans and waterways. We will look at the position and influence of
marine mammals within the environment, as well as the development of physical
conditions, values and economic activities that have led to their present
situation.
CZMT 0639 Environmental Remote Sensing and Geographic Information
Systems / 3 credits. This course assumes that you have an interest in
Remote Sensing and large-scale Earth observation. It is not intended to matter
whether you consider yourself a chemist, physicist, biologist, geologist or
geographer. The intention is to present Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic
Information System (GIS) as a tool for studying the Earth and its processes.
The course is designed to be accessible to anyone with a reasonable grounding
in the Earth Sciences and is tuned to give a general induction to a wide scope
of relevant topics. Nonetheless, you must be prepared to grapple with some
basic ideas of Physics. The syllabus introduces electromagnetic radiation
principles in the context of Earth observation and presents an overview of the
current status of both active and passive air- and space-borne RS systems.
Having followed a typical processing-stream required to extract quantitative
information from satellite imagery, the student is introduced to the field of
GIS through specific environmental case-studies. Image calibration,
geo-rectification and classification are dealt with by providing a grounding in the theory underlying image processing.
Remote Sensing is not about interesting pictures of the Earth's surface,
although there are some spectacular images to be discovered. It is really about
careful, precise measurements of surface parameters, including the techniques
and methodology, the scientific principles behind the techniques and the
'real-world' application of the technology.
CZMT 0650 Fundamentals of Aquatic Ecotoxicology
/ 3 credits. Basic course on the fate of chemicals and their
biological effects on aquatic organisms. Presents the history of aquatic
toxicology and the general mechanisms of transport and transformation of
chemicals in water/sediment systems and within aquatic organisms. Examines basic aquatic toxicological concepts and principles,
concentration-response relationships, criteria and approaches to single species
laboratory tests and multi-species field studies, the importance of good
laboratory practices, and considerations for analyzing and interpreting aquatic
toxicity data. Special types of organismal and media tests will be
discussed in addition to topics on biomarkers and bio-monitoring, mathematical
modeling, structure-activity relationships, and aquatic risk assessment.
CZMT 0651 Artificial Reefs in Marine Management: An overview /3
credits. This is a seminar course that examines the
historical and potential uses of artificial reefs in marine environments, with
emphasis on fish ecology and management.
CZMT 0655 Environmental Remote Sensing and Geographic Information
Systems / 3 credits. This distance course assumes that you have an
interest in Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS) and
large-scale Earth observation, and wish to learn about using these tools to
study the Earth and its processes. It doesn't matter whether you consider
yourself a chemist, physicist, biologist, geologist or geographer, or simply have
a reasonable grounding and interest in the Earth Sciences. Nonetheless, you
must be prepared to grapple with some basic ideas of Physics. This
distance-learning course is designed to be accessible and to give a general
induction to a wide scope of relevant topics. Remote Sensing is not about
interesting pictures of the Earth's surface, although there are some
spectacular images to be discovered. It is really about careful, precise
measurements of surface parameters, including: 1) techniques and methodology,
2) the scientific principles behind the techniques, and 3) 'real-world'
application of the technology.
CZMT 0660 Marine Archaeology / 3 credits. The study of nautical antiquities, especially their detection and
protection. Covers concepts related to the conservation of
archaeological resources in the coastal zone, as well as techniques relevant to
underwater excavation, removal, and preservation of marine artifacts.
CZMT 0661 Environmental Chemistry / 3 credits. The course has been designed to
present an overview of complexity of environmental problems. Students will
learn about the origin, fate, toxicity and remediation of chemical pollutants
in the air, water and soil, as well as gain an understanding of effects of
chemistry on today's environment (both positive and negative). The course deals
with contemporary environmental issues including: Green house effect and global
warming, Alternative energy sources, Chemistry of ozone layer, Toxic organic
chemicals, Chemistry of natural waters, Green chemistry, Regression of Arctic
polar cap, and Role and fate of chlorine in the environment Phthalates in the
environment Green chemistry.
CZMT 0662 Internship with
CZMT 0664 Internship in Coastal Policy / 3 credits. Students
enrolled in this course are expected to invest the equivalent of 3 hours per
week for 14 weeks (i.e. at least 42 hours) in their internship. This can be
done at a research organization, private company or consulting firm; local,
county, state or federal agency; or other approved venue that is related to
coastal zone activities. In addition to hands-on work, each intern will also
keep an academic journal of internship activities. The journal will be
submitted for review for the final grade. The student's supervisor at the
internship venue will also evaluate the student. Permission and approval of
supervising Professor is required before you enroll in this class.
CZMT 0665 Environmental Sustainability: Choices for the Future / 3
credits. This web-based distance education course highlights more than 25 years
of international discussion, debate and ideas with regard to the state of the
environment and our actions towards it. Key considerations and voices are
included, from both North and South. This course examines in a cross-cutting
approach the environmental and social issues that effect
our lives. Students become part of an "international learning
community", by participating in on-line closed discussion. The emphasis is
on presenting an international range of perspectives and case studies, linking
the issues and ideas to up-to-the-moment occurrences as they effect
students, when they happen and wherever they are.
CZMT 0667 Coastal Zone Interpretation / 3 credits. This
course can best be described as an applied course that helps you explore
communication and experiential learning theories and their application to
natural heritage (nature) interpretation and environmental education program
design. You will also develop and present interpretive materials and a program
within the context of the nature interpretation in the coastal zone
environment. Throughout our lives we often find ourselves in situations where
we interpret nature to others. Think of the number of times a parent interprets
aspects of nature to a child, or you interpret the area in which you live to a
visitor. Indeed, commenting on a beautiful sunset is an interpretation of
nature. Just what is the definition of nature interpretation? What theories
support nature interpretation? Is interpretation a science or an art? How can
we develop our skills as interpreters? How can we apply interpretive techniques
in our daily lives and careers? This course aims at providing opportunities for
you to find answers to these and other questions.
CZMT 0670 Ecosystem Management / 3 credits. Ecosystem management has gained
widespread visibility as an approach to achieve sustainable and responsible
natural resource use. With an increased
interest in this emerging management paradigm, this course will explore
interactive relationships among organisms, community structure, and the
application of emerging technologies, including GIS and remote sensing,
relative both to ecology and management. A case study of the marine environment
of the Bahamian Archipelago, and the application of the sciences of ecology and
conservation biology to real-world concerns, will help demonstrate how
scientific research significantly reduces uncertainty and improves resource
management decisions.
CZMT-0677 Coastline Environmental Security: new perspectives on
threats to the natural environment / 3 credits. In the
post-September 11, 2001 global theatre there is a widely-held perception of new
threats facing democratic societies. Traditional terrorist targets include
human assets such as political leaders and foreign diplomatic staff; physical
assets such as aircraft, buildings, factories, and power stations; and
institutional assets such as legislatures and courts of law. We seek here to
expand the notion of threat beyond these traditional determinants to include
the coastal environment, domestically and internationally.
CZMT 0681 Master's Thesis Research (Coastal Zone Management) / 3
credits each. Research and thesis preparation.
Normally no more than 6 credits toward the M.S. degree may be applied. Requires prior consultation with the major professor and submission
of an approved thesis proposal.
CZMT 0671 Biology of Sharks and Rays / 3 credits. Sharks
and rays (collectively termed elasmobranchs) are
important components in virtually all marine ecosystems and in a few tropical
freshwater ones as well. This unique 12-week course is a comprehensive,
interdisciplinary introduction to the evolution, biology, ecology, and
conservation of elasmobranch fishes. Biology of
Sharks and Rays is offered as a credit course for graduate, advanced
undergraduate students (transfer credit is available for students from other
institutions) and general interest distance learners. Sharks and rays are
commercially exploited and vulnerable to directed fisheries, bycatch, and anthropogenic habitat erosion. This course
will play an important role in enriching the educational background and
professional understanding of marine biology, zoology, or coastal management
degree students.
CZMT 0675 Resolving Environmental and Public Disputes / 3 credits.
This course focuses on the theoretical bases, practical applications,
process orientations, and actual intervention into complex multiparty,
multi-issue public disputes regarding management of the coastal zone. The
emphasis is on social/environmental interactions and sources of political and
economic conflict over human health environmental protection and natural
resource scarcity.
CZMT 0680 Conservation Biology
/ 3 credits. Conservation Biology will provide an introduction to the
role of science in the conservation of animals and plants. There will be three major goals for the
course. First, the course lectures and text readings will provide a rigorous
introduction to the motivation for, methods of, and major challenges facing
contemporary conservation biology.
Second, the lectures and laboratories will seek to enhance each
student's understanding of the scientific process and thus the potential and
limitations of science as a tool in addressing contemporary social problems.
Finally, and most fundamentally, readings from primary and secondary literature
sources will be selected to further develop skills in critical analysis. The
content of course lectures will focus on an introduction to the scientific
study and analysis of biodiversity; a survey of the major threats to
biodiversity; an overview of contemporary conservation strategies and an
analysis of recent and historic success and failures in conservation efforts.
CZMT 0681 Master’s Thesis Research / 3 credits. Research and thesis preparation. Normally no more than six
credits toward the MS degree may be applied. Requires prior
consultation with the major professor and submission of an approved thesis
proposal.
CZMT 0685 Marine Biodiversity / 3 credits. Diversity
of life on earth is now being dramatically & irreversibly altered and
reduced by human activities. Because so
many species are still un-described, and the ecological roles of those that
have been named are so poorly understood, the magnitude of these changes is
difficult to evaluate. The course will discuss multiple aspects of marine
biodiversity including: 1) definition and importance of marine biodiversity to
marine conservation issues; threats to marine biodiversity including
non-indigenous species introductions; 2) impediments to marine conservation; 3)
scientific constraints; 4) developing tools and
forums for conserving marine biodiversity, and evaluating existing
marine biodiversity initiatives currently in place and planned. Management
approaches such as marine protected areas, no-take or completely protected
reserves, and special management areas will be discussed and evaluated.
CZMT 0686 Ocean Observing / 3 credits. The
President's Commission on Ocean Policy has recommended the immediate
implementation of the Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
for the Unites States. It is envisioned that IOOS will be akin to the National
Weather Service and will be designed to provide real-time oceanographic data,
services, and products (http://www.ocean.us).
The Ocean Observing course sets the stage for this new program. It is intended
to give students a broad view to how the physical and biological factors are
governing the distribution of the marine life and how the ocean influences
climate variability. Human activities impact the orderly functioning of the
ocean (and other components of the Earth system) by altering cycling rates and
disturbing the equilibrium of biochemical cycles. Students will learn how
society is attempting to minimize these impacts, remediate past damage, and
avoid future problems. Answers to these and other questions require
observational data on the ocean's properties and processes.
CZMT 0687 Coastal Ecology: Implications for Management / 3
credits. Provide students with a synthesis of the physical
processes in relation to biological functioning in near-shore environments.
This course will combine (1) introductory level coastal oceanography and
adaptations of marine organisms; (2) principles to understand the ecological
structure and dynamics of coastal marine communities; (3) ecological
description of major coastal marine ecosystems; and (4) accounts on the
scientific principles covered to management and decision-making processes.
CZMT 0688 Population Ecology: Life’s Ups and Downs / 3 credits. Using a
variety of marine and terrestrial organisms as example, this course explores
key concepts of population ecology and ventures into foundations of community
and landscape ecology (time permitting).
Students will learn how populations shrink and expand in concert with
their own reproductive potential and environmental drivers, what the effects of predation and competition are,
how niche separation works and how disturbances affect diversity and species
packing as well as spatial
patterns. Students will be provided computational tools, focusing
on Matlab, to describe or model simple population
processes, thus providing an entry point towards more advanced theoretical and
computational topics. The course puts emphasis on theoretical and mathematical
understanding of the issue and its computational implementation. A prior
knowledge of basic algebra and calculus as well as ecological, zoological and
statistical principles is a definite advantage, although a brief review will be
provided. Students will have to do homework, and a mid-term and final exam.
CZMT 0690 Tropical Marine Fish Ecology / 3 credits. Study of the ecology of tropical fish, including coastal, estuary,
mangrove, and pelagic fish. Current theories on distribution and
abundance will be discussed in addition to ecological theory.
CZMT 0693 Leadership for Professional Scientists / 3 credits. The
course examines leadership as a process with a tri-fold focus: the leader, the
followers, and the situation. Students will have the opportunity to explore
leadership theories and build leadership skills. An additional focus will be on
leadership development. Guest lecturers involved in leading public and private
resource management will be included.
CZMT 0694 Introduction to Marine Fisheries Science / 3 credits. This
course introduces basic fisheries science principles and techniques. Topics
will include fisheries-related terminology and descriptions, basic age and
growth techniques, fisheries population modeling and stock assessment concepts,
and an introduction to marine fisheries management. Students completing this
course will: 1) Be familiar with basic fisheries science terminology and
concepts; 2) Understand basic age and growth sampling and analytical techniques,
including histological preservation and preparation; 3) Be able to identify
parameters necessary for and complete basic stock assessment modeling problems;
Understand fisheries data collection requirements
and issues; 4) Discuss basic fisheries management issues.
CZMT 0676 Chemical Biology of Coastal Zones / 3 credits. This
course deals with the application of chemistry to the biology of coastal zones.
CZMT 0701 Capstone Review Paper / 3 credits
each. An extended literature review of a subject approved
by the student's advisory committee. The paper should demonstrate
proficiency in library research, organization, and writing. Requires
prior consultation with the major professor and submission of an approved capstone
proposal.
CZMT 0705 Ecology and Evolution of Invasive Species / 3 credits. Biological invasions are recognized as one of the most important agents
of human-driven global change. Invasions are responsible for losses in
biodiversity and important changes in ecological processes and ecosystem
function. Invasive species also provide scientists with great opportunities to
test ecological and evolutionary theory. When species are introduced or translocated, they disrupt natural communities, creating
and experiencing novel conditions, species interactions, and selection
pressures. The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview
of the key ecological, evolutionary, genetic, and behavioral questions
surrounding the study of invasive species. Emphasis will be place on the current
literature examining how species invade, interact and impact recipient
communities.
CZMT 0710 Water: Cross-cultural, Scientific and Spiritual
Perspectives / 3 credits. This course will introduce students to
the expanding international dialogue regarding water and the coastal zone that
is now occurring amongst the scientific, interfaith and policy communities. We
will consider and evaluate whether this may result in new understanding and a
greater commitment towards our stewardship of water, and particularly the
coastal environment.
CZMT 0775 Directed Independent Study (DIS) / 3 credits. DIS
courses are offered each term on an elective basis. Students working off campus
will be directed by on-site adjunct professors, counselors, or thesis mentors,
but must report to the program professor. A term paper or progress report is
required by the end of each term.
CZMT 0780 Ports and Harbors / 3 credits. A comprehensive examination of modern trends in port and harbor
engineering, maintenance, and management. Includes
planning and layout of ports, harbors, and marinas, operation and maintenance
of facilities, and environmental impact. Emphasis will be placed on
analysis of modern practices. Prerequisite: CZMT 0605 or consent of the
instructor.
CZMT 0790 Aspects of Marine Pollution / 3 credits. Deals with various forms of environmental pollution as they affect
both the land and maritime environment. Sources, measurement, and
control of pollution in marine and coastal environments are discussed.
CZMT 0791 Wetlands Ecology / 3 credits. Basic ecology of coastal (marine and fresh water) wetlands,
followed by intensive field work in the identification, delineation, and
evaluation of these wetlands. Students will learn to identify wetland
indicator species. They will visit area wetlands to learn agency delineation
techniques based on vegetation, soils and hydrology. Evaluation of the
functions of the wetlands will be taught using the Adamus
and other methods. Some field work is required.
CZMT 0800
Scientific Writing / 3 credits. “What makes
a good proposal?" Take this course and find out. A good proposal stems
from a good concept. This course is designed to provide tools, resources, and
approaches to improve a student’s ability to write in a scientifically precise
and accurate manner and to interrelate complex
conceptual issues in a coherent manner.
The skills acquired while learning to write a grant proposal are very
similar to the skills needed to write a project plan or scientific paper. Thus,
by building grant-writing skills, general scientific writing skills are
improved in equal measure. This course is an intensive introduction of how to
prepare, write, edit, and review a standard grant proposal. Participants in
this course will be expected to write a grant proposal in their field of
interest as a class project. Proposal writing is essential in the competitive
scientific job market, but it can be intimidating for the novice. There is
nothing worse than staring at a blank piece of paper or computer screen with
the sinking feeling that so much is riding on the prose you must create. This
course will provide the tools and procedures to write and submit a competitive
grant proposal. Participants in this course will be expected to be motivated
and willing to improve their written and verbal communication skills. There
will be an abundant writing load and outside class assignments.
CZMT 0806 Environmental Toxicology / 3 credits. This
course examines the fate of chemicals and their biological effects on marine
organisms. We will discuss environmental toxicology and the general mechanisms
of transport and transformation of chemicals in water/sediment systems and
within marine organisms.
CZMT 0808 Marine Botany / 3 credits. Morphology, life histories, taxonomy, physiology, and ecology of multicellular marine photo¬trophs,
including algae, seagrasses, and mangroves.
CZMT 0940 Marine Protected Areas / 3 credits. This course takes an
interdisciplinary approach to examining the ecological and socioeconomic
challenges of designing and managing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) with emphasis
on South Florida and Mesoamerican coral reefs. The course is an intensive,
hands-on program that features lectures by a number of scientists, MPA managers
and practitioners, as well as field trips to MPA sites. The course is taught in
conjunction with the National University of México (UNAM) and Florida
International University (FIU). Participating students will have the chance to
interact with faculty and graduate students from UNAM, FIU, and other Latin
American countries. The complete course lasts 8 days and is fully bilingual;
translations for Spanish guest lectures will be provided.
CZMT 0960
Statement of Expected
Outcomes: these outcomes encompass program completion, effectiveness of
teaching and curricula, and the extent to which graduates are prepared for
employment.
OCMB 0796 Directed Independent Study / 3 credits.
Directed study in aspects of marine biology. May be used,
under special circumstances, for completion of capstone and thesis proposals.
OCMB 5606 Plankton Ecology / 3 Credits. This
course will focus on marine zooplankton and have limited discussion of
phytoplankton, protozoans and bacteria. A survey of
zooplankton will be conducted, including processes and variables which
influence production and dynamics. A discussion of field and laboratory
sampling and methodology will include fixing, preserving, subsampling,
identifying and quantifying collections. A one-day field trip is required to
collect marine samples and students will identify and quantify organisms based
on those samples.
OCMB 6055 Marine Microbiology / 3 credits. The nature, activities, interactions, and ecological roles of
marine bacteria and their heterotrophic microbial consumers in coastal and
offshore environments.
OCMB 6060 Marine Phytoplankton / 3 credits. Study of the major groups of phototrophic marine eukaryotic
plankton, stressing current concepts of their activities, ecological role,
importance, dynamics, and interrelationships.
OCMB 6065 Marine Zooplankton / 3 credits. Examines aspects of zooplankton composition, large- and small-scale
distribution, and ecology. Classical theory and literature provide the
background for emphasis on modern concepts and techniques in zooplankton
biology.
OCMB 6070 Marine Botany / 3 credits. Morphology, life histories, taxonomy, physiology, and ecology of multicellular marine phototrophs,
including algae, seagrasses, and mangroves.
OCMB 6080 Marine Invertebrates / 3 credits. The study of important groups of planktonic
and benthic invertebrates, with emphasis on their abundance, role in food webs
and nutrient cycling, feeding and growth rates, productivity, reproduction, and
interactions.
OCMB 6085 Taxonomy of Marine Invertebrates / 3 credits. This
course will cover the taxonomy and ecology of marine invertebrates (emphasizing
shallow tropical western Atlantic species) and train students in their
identification. Field work and a self-paced laboratory are integral to the
course. Class includes boat trips around Broward County.
OCMB 6090 Marine Vertebrates / 3 credits. A
survey of marine fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals, with emphasis on
representative families, genera, and species, including their anatomical and
physiological features, interrelationships, distribution, and ecology.
OCMB 6092 Electron Microscopy / 3 credits. This course focuses on application of scanning and/or transmission electron microscopy to an ongoing research project. Individual instruction on applications involving sample preparation and analysis for analytical electron microscopy will be emphasized. A research paper and oral presentation of results in a seminar format will be required.
OCMB 6100 Environmental Remote Sensing and Geographic Information
Systems / 3 credits. This course assumes that you have an interest in
Remote Sensing and large-scale Earth observation. It is not intended to matter
whether you consider yourself a chemist, physicist, biologist, geologist or
geographer. The intention is to present Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic
Information System (GIS) as a tool for studying the Earth and its processes.
The course is designed to be accessible to anyone with a reasonable grounding
in the Earth Sciences and is tuned to give a general induction to a wide scope
of relevant topics. Nonetheless, you must be prepared to grapple with some
basic ideas of Physics. The syllabus introduces electromagnetic radiation
principles in the context of Earth observation and presents an overview of the
current status of both active and passive air- and space-borne RS systems.
Having followed a typical processing-stream required to extract quantitative
information from satellite imagery, the student is introduced to the field of
GIS through specific environmental case-studies. Image calibration,
geo-rectification and classification are dealt with by providing a grounding in the theory underlying image processing.
Remote Sensing is not about interesting pictures of the Earth's surface,
although there are some spectacular images to be discovered. It is really about
careful, precise measurements of surface parameters, including the techniques
and methodology, the scientific principles behind the techniques and the
'real-world' application of the technology.
OCMB 6120 Tropical Marine Fish Ecology / 3 credits. Study of the ecology of tropical fish, including coastal, estuary,
mangrove, and pelagic fish. Current theories on distribution and
abundance will be discussed in addition to ecological theory.
OCMB 6140 Leadership for Professional Scientists / 3 credits. The course
examines leadership as a process with a tri-fold focus: the leader, the
followers, and the situation. Students will have the opportunity to explore
leadership theories and build leadership skills. An additional focus will be on
leadership development. Guest lecturers involved in leading public and private
resource management will be included.
OCMB 6190 Environmental Chemistry / 3 credits. The course has been designed to
present an overview of complexity of environmental problems. Students will
learn about the origin, fate, toxicity and remediation of chemical pollutants
in the air, water and soil, as well as gain an understanding of effects of
chemistry on today's environment (both positive and negative). The course deals
with contemporary environmental issues including: Green house effect and global
warming, Alternative energy sources, Chemistry of ozone layer, Toxic organic
chemicals, Chemistry of natural waters, Green chemistry, Regression of Arctic
polar cap, and Role and fate of chlorine in the environment Phthalates in the
environment Green chemistry.
OCMB 6194 Bioorganic Chemistry / 3 credits. The course is
devoted to study of the mechanisms of action at the cellular and molecular
level of biologically active natural products and their synthetic equivalents. The course will provide an introduction to
molecular modeling (with use of software available for free download), its
application to simple systems such as fragrance compounds, followed by complex
applications such as toxicology and drug development. The course is
complementary to the Chemical Ecology course. However, one is not a
prerequisite for another and they can be taken in any order. Topics include:
structure-activity relationship, substrate-receptor interactions, biological
activity of natural products (alkaloids, terpenes, steroids), mechanism of action of toxins, venoms and
pheromones, as well as application of the above to drug development. Prerequisite: an undergraduate course in
organic chemistry.
OCMB 6195 Dynamic Biological Oceanography / 3 credits.
Explores modern concepts and approaches in the study of life in the sea.
Emphasis is on understanding the scales and coupling of biotic and physical
variability, the use of modern continuous sampling techniques, and the handling
of data from such samplers. Guest lectures and round table discussions help to
identify and examine the relationships between physical and biological
processes in a variety of oceanographic systems (for example, the California
Current, the Gulf Stream). Some background in statistics and calculus will be
helpful.
OCMB 6196 Biological Effects and Risks of Chemicals in the Aquatic
Environment / 3 credits. Basic course
on the biological effects and risks of foreign chemicals in aquatic ecosystems.
Topics will include bioavailability and fate in sediment water systems, uptake,
metabolism and accumulation in fish and invertebrates, and biodegradation in
microorganisms. Sublethal behavioral and
physiological effects will be discussed along with environmental legislation
and risk assessment methods. Presentations will be relevant to acids, metals (organometallics), detergents, pesticides, polychlorinated
biphenyls, dibenzo-paradioxins, dibenzofurans,
petroleum hydrocarbons, radionuclides, nutrients, and
other conventional pollutants. The metabolism of each chemical group will also
be examined in fish, invertebrates, algae, and microorganisms along with
methods of analysis. Prioritization schemes for hazardous chemicals in the U.S.
and overseas will be presented with case studies on hazard/risk assessment.
OCMB 6220 Functional Morphology and Physiology of Fish / 3
credits. Introductory course to the study
of fishes. Topics include a survey of the major groups of fishes,
current systematics, anatomy, physiology, ecology, reproduction, and behavior.
Underlying themes include functional morphology and the integration of the
animal with its environment.
OCMB 6225 Biology
of Sharks / 3 credits. Sharks
have long held the fascination of humans, with resulting exploitation by the media
to capitalize on this interest. Regrettably, a severe lack of understanding of
the biology and natural history of sharks has resulted in numerous
misconceptions about these fishes, and traditionally little attention to
management and preservation of sharks as integral components of marine
ecosystems. With increasing commercial and recreational fishing of sharks and
the realization that these fishes may need to be managed using different
strategies than used for teleost fishes, there is
tremendous interest worldwide in researching and understanding the biology of
sharks. This course will cover fundamental aspects of the biology of sharks,
including systematics, evolution, reproduction, behavior, genetics, migration,
conservation, fisheries management, and field research techniques.
OCMB 6230 Marine Ichthyology / 3 credits. The
course centers on the systematics, ecology, behavior, and resource management
of marine fishes with emphasis on the inshore fishes of the tropical Atlantic.
A self-paced laboratory and some field work are integral to the course.
OCMB 6240 Ecology and Evolution
of Invasive Species / 3 credits. Biological
invasions are recognized as one of the most important agents of human-driven
global change. Invasions are responsible for losses in biodiversity and
important changes in ecological processes and ecosystem function. Invasive
species also provide scientists with great opportunities to test ecological and
evolutionary theory. When species are introduced or translocated,
they disrupt natural communities, creating and experiencing novel conditions,
species interactions, and selection pressures. The objective of this course is
to provide students with an overview of the key ecological, evolutionary,
genetic, and behavioral questions surrounding the study of invasive species.
Emphasis will be place on the current literature examining how species invade,
interact and impact recipient communities.
OCMB 6310 Methods in Plankton Ecology / 3 credits. The
course focuses on common measurement techniques used in water column biology.
The emphasis is on field applications for sampling the distributions and
evaluating the activities of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Development of
creativity and problem-solving skills is also a priority.
OCMB 6315 Marine Biodiversity / 3 credits. Diversity
of life on earth is now being dramatically & irreversibly altered and
reduced by human activities. Because so
many species are still un-described, and the ecological roles of those that
have been named are so poorly understood, the magnitude of these changes is
difficult to evaluate. The course will discuss multiple aspects of marine
biodiversity including: 1) definition and importance of marine biodiversity to
marine conservation issues; threats to marine biodiversity including
non-indigenous species introductions; 2) impediments to marine conservation; 3)
scientific constraints; 4) developing tools and
forums for conserving marine biodiversity, and evaluating existing marine
biodiversity initiatives currently in place and planned. Management approaches
such as marine protected areas, no-take or completely protected reserves, and
special management areas will be discussed and evaluated.
OCMB 6321 Wetlands Ecology / 3 credits. This course
is the basic ecology of coastal (marine and freshwater) wetlands, followed by intensive
field work in the identification, delineation, and evaluation of these wetlands.
Students learn to identify wetland indicator species and visit area
wetlands to learn agency delineation techniques based on vegetation, soils and
hydrology.
OCMB 6323 Population Ecology: Life’s Ups and Downs / 3 credits. Using a
variety of marine and terrestrial organisms as example, this course explores
key concepts of population ecology and ventures into foundations of community
and landscape ecology (time permitting).
Students will learn how populations shrink and expand in concert with
their own reproductive potential and environmental drivers, what the effects of predation and competition are,
how niche separation works and how disturbances affect diversity and species
packing as well as spatial patterns. Students will be provided computational
tools, focusing on Matlab, to describe or model
simple population processes, thus providing an entry point towards more
advanced theoretical and computational topics. The course puts emphasis on
theoretical and mathematical understanding of the issue and its computational
implementation. A prior knowledge of basic algebra and calculus as well as
ecological, zoological and statistical principles is a definite advantage,
although a brief review will be provided. Students will have to do homework,
and a mid-term and final exam.
OCMB 6325 Deep Water Ecology of the
OCMB 6330 Marine Mammals Management / 3 credits. This
is a distance education course. A variety of topics will include the
physiological profile, anatomical structure, energetics,
feeding habits, and population dynamics of marine mammals, along with their
interactions with man and other species. Comparisons will be made among the
four major groups of marine mammals.
OCMB 6340 Marine Mammals / 3 credits. This
course provides an overview of the anatomy, biomedicine, evolution, husbandry,
natural history, pathology, and physiology of the cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, and allies.
The course consists of lectures, laboratory exercises, field trips, and a
research paper.
OCMB 6350 Introduction to Marine Fisheries Science / 3 credits. This
course introduces basic fisheries science principles and techniques. Topics
will include fisheries-related terminology and descriptions, basic age and
growth techniques, fisheries population modeling and stock assessment concepts,
and an introduction to marine fisheries management. Students completing this
course will: 1) Be familiar with basic fisheries science terminology and
concepts; 2) Understand basic age and growth sampling and analytical
techniques, including histological preservation and preparation; 3) Be able to
identify parameters necessary for and complete basic stock assessment modeling
problems;
Understand fisheries data collection requirements
and issues; 4) Discuss basic fisheries management issues.
OCMB 6550 Bio-Physical Interactions in the Ocean / 3 credits. The
need exists to better understand the integrated biological-physical
interactions in the marine ecosystem, particularly when studying the role of
the oceans in climate change. This course is designed to study the impact of
physical processes on marine ecology in small and large spatial scales.
Emphasis is placed on the biology and how production at all trophic
levels is impacted as a consequence of the physical environment. Prerequisites:
Marine Ecosystems and Physical Oceanography are not prerequisites but they will
be helpful.
OCMB 6900 Master's Thesis Research / 3 credits
each. Research and thesis preparation. No more than
9 credits toward the M.S. degree may be applied. Requires
prior consultation with major professor and submission of an approved thesis
proposal.
OCMB 7000 Capstone Review Paper/ 3 credits. An extended literature review of a subject approved by the
student's advisory committee. The paper should demonstrate proficiency
in library research, organization, and writing. Requires
prior consultation with major professor and submission of an approved capstone
proposal.
OCMB 7012 Coral Reef Ecology / 3 credits. General ecology of corals and coral reefs. Includes discussion and description of distribution, abundance, and
physiology of corals and coral reef animals. Effects from important
natural and anthropogenic events and causes will be described. Emphasis given to coral-reefs of the Caribbean and
OCMB 7013 Molecular Marine Biology / 3 credits. This
course covers theoretical and laboratory aspects of recombinant DNA techniques
as applied to ecological, evolutionary and physiological investigations of
marine organisms. Laboratory topics will include DNA isolation, gel
electrophoresis, Polymerase Chain Reaction and analysis of DNA sequence data.
Theoretical topics will include fundamentals of eukaryotic genome and gene
structure, theory of recombinant DNA technology, and discussions of the
application of this powerful technology to marine biology.
OCMB 7015 Coral Reef Geology and Evolution / 3 credits. Throughout
earth history, bioconstructions, reefs being the most
noticeable, have been focal points of organismal evolution which is recorded in
the fossil record as well as the growth fabrics and lithologies
of the reef rocks. Organism-environment, and environment-sedimentology
feedbacks create distinct signatures that allow us to gain detailed insight
into the ecological functioning of reef communities long gone since and the
environment they lived in – if only we can make the rocks talk.
OCMB 8100 Ecology of the
OCMB 8500
Scientific Writing / 3 credits. “What makes
a good proposal?" Take this course and find out. A good proposal stems
from a good concept. This course is designed to provide tools, resources, and
approaches to improve a student’s ability to write in a scientifically precise
and accurate manner and to interrelate complex
conceptual issues in a coherent manner.
The skills acquired while learning to write a grant proposal are very
similar to the skills needed to write a project plan or scientific paper. Thus,
by building grant-writing skills, general scientific writing skills are
improved in equal measure. This course is an intensive introduction of how to
prepare, write, edit, and review a standard grant proposal. Participants in this
course will be expected to write a grant proposal in their field of interest as
a class project. Proposal writing is essential in the competitive scientific
job market, but it can be intimidating for the novice. There is nothing worse
than staring at a blank piece of paper or computer screen with the sinking
feeling that so much is riding on the prose you must create. This course will
provide the tools and procedures to write and submit a competitive grant
proposal. Participants in this course will be expected to be motivated and
willing to improve their written and verbal communication skills. There will be
an abundant writing load and outside class assignments.
OCMB 8150 Ecology of the
OCMB 8160 Marine Protected Areas / 3 credits. This course takes an
interdisciplinary approach to examining the ecological and socioeconomic
challenges of designing and managing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) with emphasis
on South Florida and Mesoamerican coral reefs. The course is an intensive,
hands-on program that features lectures by a number of scientists, MPA managers
and practitioners, as well as field trips to MPA sites. The course is taught in
conjunction with the National University of México (UNAM) and Florida
International University (FIU). Participating students will have the chance to
interact with faculty and graduate students from UNAM, FIU, and other Latin American
countries. The complete course lasts 8 days and is fully bilingual;
translations for Spanish guest lectures will be provided.
OCMB 8250 Coastal Observational Systems / 3 credits. This elective course is intended
to give students an overall view of the global ocean observing systems and uses
of oceanographic data. Students will gain an appreciation for the challenges of
observing ocean processes and knowledge of the potential uses for many user
groups. The course will concentrate on the observation of oceanic water mass
properties and fluid motions, the sea surface level and surface waves,
meteorological parameters as well as water turbidity, fluorescence, dissolved
matter etc. Oceanographic instrumentation (e.g., ADCP, CTD, AUV, bio-chemical
sensors) and remote sensing techniques (e.g., satellite observations of sea
surface temperature, wind, waves, and chlorophyll) will be presented. Special
consideration will be given to the coastal ocean observing systems. Recent
observing systems will be reviewed in order to give the student with a
comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in observational oceanography.
Examples from actual ocean observing systems will illustrate the concepts.
Pre-requisite: recommended OCOR 5601 Concepts in Physical Oceanography (or
similar).
OCMB 9070 Ecology of the