MSCI 658 - Larval Ecology

Spring, even years (3) Mann

The course is based on a broad discussion of the following topics within the marine invertebrates: the concept of the larval form, spawning and developmental patterns, limitations on the fertilization process and embryology, the Reynolds number environment at typical larval size, feeding and nutrition in the larval size range, larval size and parental investment, larval dispersal and supply in maintaining community structure, roles of physical versus biological processes in inducing metamorphosis, early post-metamorphic survival, and larval ecology in extreme environments.