BIO 132 : Marine Biology
This is a one-semester course designed to provide an introduction to the biology of the marine environment. It incorporates the study of the physical and biological components of the oceans, including the formations of the seas and land masses, physical nature of the oceans, and chemistry of seawater with emphasis on types of marine organisms, the ecology of the marine environment, and man's impact on the ocean and its inhabitants. Field trips may be required as part of the lab component of the course. Prerequisite: High school chemistry and biology with a grade of C or better or BIO 111 or BIO 121 or SCI 112 or SCI 119 or any CHM course. Three lecture and two laboratory hours per week. Instructional Support Fee applies. Gen. Ed. Competencies Met: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery.
Course Outcomes
1. Identify the unique challenges of life in the marine environment and describe some of the adaptations and strategies found in marine organisms.
2. Describe the diversity of marine habitats, demonstrating knowledge of the organisms that live there and applying fundamental ecological concepts such as habitat, niche, population, survivorship, and trophic levels.
3. Summarize the physical, chemical, and geological characteristics of the ocean.
4. Apply the scientific method by generating hypotheses, designing controlled experiments and field studies, and analyzing results.
5. Utilize taxonomic keys to identify a variety of marine organisms.
6. Analyze the role humans play in the marine environment, from direct intervention such as extracting resources, to indirect intervention such as caused by global climate change.