BIOL 309 Aquatic Ecology

Prerequisite: BIOL 201 or permission of the instructor. Concepts of ecology are elucidated using examples from freshwater, marine and estuarine systems. The course investigates the biological and ecological processes that comprise functioning aquatic systems. We will consider the workings of lakes, streams, bays, oceanic waters, rocky shores, soft-sediment bottoms, grass beds, marshes and coral reefs. Field trips will emphasize a wide variety of aquatic habitats. Case studies of resource management issues and human impacts on aquatic environments will exemplify the application of aquatic ecological concepts