To introduce students to marine chemistry of the major and trace elements.

To demonstrate the dynamic relationship between the chemical ocean environment and biological processes.

To identify the main ocean basins and main oceanic transport routes of chemical species

To teach the necessary practical skills for oceanographic sampling and measurement of chemical species.

(LO1) Students will be able to identify ocean basins, their major characteristics and transport pathways.

(LO2) Students will gain knowledge of the sources and distributions of major and minor elements in the ocean, including dissolved gases, nutrients and carbon.

(LO3) Students will understand the chemical and biological processes that control the distribution of major and minor elements including dissolved gases, nutrients and carbon.

(LO4) Students will recognize the form and function of different components of the marine ecosystem including viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton.

(LO5) Students will be able to synthesis knowledge of key biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus to understand how they are linked in the modern and past ocean environment.

(LO6) Students will know how to measure key properties of the ocean and interpret why they vary in space and time

(S1) Numeracy

(S2) Teamwork

(S3) Organisational skills

(S4) Problem solving skills

Lectures (minor variations are likely as the module evolves)

Introduction: A brief history of Oceanography. Why is Oceanography important?

A Description of Ocean Basins: Continental Margins to Open Ocean.

Chemistry of the Oceans: Where does all the water and salt come from? Chemical composition of seawater. Constancy of composition of seawater. Chemical fluxes and residence times.

Salinity: Practical determination of salinity and salinity structure in the oceans.

Dissolved Gases in Seawater: Oxygen (biologically reactive). Carbon dioxide (biologically and chemically reactive).

The Carbonate Cycle: Deposition and dissolution of carbonate.

Plankton: definition, diversity and function in the marine ecosystem, including viruses, bacterial, phytoplankton and zooplankton

Photosynthesis and Repiration in the ocean: methods to measure rates of photosynthesis and respiration, definitions of gross primary production, net community production and net primary production

Nutrients in the ocean: introduction to processes that influence the vertical and inter-basin variations in nutrient concentrations, includes introduction to zooplankton grazing and export production

Preformed and regenerated nutrients, apparent oxygen utilisation and the Redfield ratio

Ocean biogeochemical cycles : The marine nitrogen cycle

Ocean biogeochemical cycles: The marine phosphorus cycle

Ocean biogeochemical cycles: The marine silica cycle

Elemental stoichiometry in the ocean: links between the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle.

Practical classes

The practicals cover the analysis of many of the substances (alkalinity, nutrients, oxygen) discussed in the lectures. Exercises are used to train the students in data interpretation

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: There are 2 or 3 one-hour lectures per week introducing students to key concepts in biological and chemical oceanography.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2 - Laboratory Work
Description: Students will be learn how to measure key properties of the ocean including (1) salinity and alkalinity, (2) concentration of a nutrient, nitrite, (3) a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, chlorophyll (4) dissolved oxygen content of seawater and (5) the concentration of a key trace metal, iron. Practical classes are 3 hours long and students work individually or in pairs.
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: 6 practicals of 3 hours each