College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 2015-2016 Catalog

211 MACS 0687 – Coastal Ecology The course provides a thorough synthesis of the physical processes in relation to biological functioning in near-shore environments. Course elements include consideration of; introductory level coastal oceanography and adaptations of marine organisms, principles for understanding the ecological structure and dynamics of coastal marine communities, ecological descriptions of major coastal marine ecosystems, and scientific principles relating to management and decision-making processes. MACS 0690 – Tropical Marine Fish Ecology This course will cover the ecology of tropical fishes, including coastal, estuarine, mangrove and pelagic fishes. Emphasis is on identification and natural history of local species. Current theories on distribution and abundance will be discussed in addition to ecological theory. Field work will take place at the Keys Marine Laboratory, Long Key, and Florida. On return to the Oceanographic Center a one week self-directed and self-scheduled laboratory study will be required. Students will complete the lab on August 11th. Date of final exam to be determined. MACS 0699 – Environmental Risk Assessment The emphasis is on the coastal zone manager's understanding of pollution sources, relative risk and potential effects on human and marine life. Sources, measurement, and control. MACS 0710 – Water: Cross Cultural Perspectives This course will introduce students to the cross-cultural dialogue regarding water and coastal zone management that is occurring amongst the scientific, interfaith and policy communities, both within the USA and internationally. MACS 0735 – Oil Pollution and the Marine Environment This course will cover the chemistry and environmental impacts of oil spills and pollution on the marine environment. Topics will include the effects of oil on various organisms and ecosystems. Current and historical oil spills and other major pollution events and their clean-up will be analyzed and evaluated. MACS 0745 – Ocean Debris Science This class describes and analyzes coastal zone management and coastal policy through the analysis of human debris. Also called flotsam and jetsam, debris can be a valuable tool in the analysis of ecosystem degradation through human activity. The class will require each student to propose numerous concrete policy solutions to the problems of human garbage and debris in the coastal and ocean environments. MACS 0790 – Aspects of Marine Pollution The course 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. It examines the fate of chemicals and their biological effects on marine organisms. It also examines environmental toxicology and the general mechanisms of transport and transformation of chemicals in water/sediment systems and within marine organisms.