Marine Life: Marine Organisms and Their Environments

REVISED

Winter 2012 and Spring 2012 quarters

Faculty

Erik Thuesen biology, marine science , Trisha Towanda invertebrate physiology, marine science

Fields of Study

environmental studies, field studies and marine science

Preparatory for studies or careers in

marine science, environmental science and other life sciences.

Prerequisites

At least two quarters of college chemistry with labs, two quarters of college biological sciences with labs, and ability to work easily with numbers and equations.

Description

This program focuses on marine organisms, the sea as a habitat, relationships between the organisms and the physical/chemical properties of their environments, and their adaptations to those environments. Students will study marine organisms, elements of biological, chemical and physical oceanography, field sampling methods with associated statistics and laboratory techniques. Throughout the program, students will focus on the identification of marine organisms and aspects of the ecology of selected species. Physiological adaptations to diverse marine environments will be also be emphasized. We will study physical features of marine waters, nutrients, biological productivity and regional topics in marine science. Concepts will be applied via faculty-designed experiments and student-designed research projects. Data analysis will be facilitated through the use of Excel spreadsheets and elementary statistics. Seminars will analyze appropriate primary literature on topics from lectures and research projects.

The faculty will facilitate identification of student research projects, which may range from studies of trace metals in local organisms and sediments to ecological investigations of local estuarine animals. Students will design their research projects during winter quarter and write a research proposal that will undergo class-wide peer review. The research projects will then be carried out during spring quarter. The scientific process is completed when results of the research projects are documented in written papers and students give oral presentations during the last week of spring quarter.

Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Enhanced Online Learning

Books

Greener Store

Required Fees

Winter $310 for an overnight field trip to San Juan Island; Spring $85 for an overnight field trip to the Olympic Peninsula.

Offered During

Day

Program Revisions