MSCI 526 - Principles of Marine Ecology

Spring, odd years (3) Smith, Staff

The course covers the fundamental processes underlying structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, both pelagic and benthic, and application of those principles to understanding responses of marine ecosystems to anthropogenic and natural global change. Lectures, readings and discussion will emphasize physical processes supporting primary production, planktonic and benthic dynamics, distribution and functional importance of marine biodiversity, biotic interactions structuring communities, and food web structure. The course concludes with a survey of the major marine ecosystem types. A central part of the course involves design, writing, reviewing, and panel discussion of student research proposals.