This module aims to introduce students to the diversity of ecosystem types in the marine environment and the various threats that they face.

(LO1) Acquire knowledge and understanding of representative key ecosystems found in the marine environment.

(LO2) Be familiar with the marine organisms that live in representative key marine ecosystems.

(LO3) Acquire a basic knowledge of fundamental ecological principles, transferable to later marine and non-marine modules.

(LO4) Be aware of the threats that humans may pose to marine ecosystems.

(LO5) Appreciate how humans assess and may mitigate detrimental impacts to the environment.

(LO6) Be introduced to the importance to their future studies of critical reading of scientific literature.

Knowledge and understanding of processes in ten marine ecosystems will develop over the weeks. Each week presents a new ecosystem with key concepts about the main organisms, processes and key threats developed over a trilogy of lectures. The final order of delivery may be different to that presented below.

Rocky intertidal regions (oil pollution)

An indication of what lives on the rocky shore, emphasising diversity.

An introduction to tides and how the changing environment affect water patterns and the distribution of organisms on the rocky shore.

A discussion of how how oil pollution affects this ecosystem.

Pelagic regions (global climate change)

An introduction to the plankton that live in the pelagic realm.

An indication of how biotic and abiotic factors affect plankton production on local and global scales.

A discussion of how global warming will influence pelagic ecosystems and how humans are attempting to solve this problem.

Salt marshes (sea level rise)

An indication of what lives in salt marshes and the physiological constraints affecting them.

An indication of how zonation is expressed in salt marshes and an exploration of sea level rise due to global warming.

A discussion of how the impact of sea-level rise on salt marshes and management strategies associated with this.

Up-welling regions (fisheries)

An indication of the key players (organisms) in one economically important up-welling region.

An examination of how fishing impact affects fish stocks.

A discussion of how humans and natural forces influence pleagic up-welling ecosystems.

Coral reefs (UV bleaching & ocean acidification)

An indication of what lives in coral reefs, focusing primarily on coral organisms.

An examination of how global warming could destroy coral reefs.

A discussion of the influence of global warming and increased carbon dioxide levels on c oral reefs; which is more dangerous?

Polar regions (whaling)

An indication of the composition and structure of the Antarctic pelagic food web.

An examination of food web dynamics, using the Antartic food web as an example.

A discussion of whether we should eat krill or whales, from a bioenergetic perspective.

Deep Sea (mining & dumping)

An indication of what lives in the deep ocean and the adaptations that make this possible.

A contrast between the hydrothermal vent communities and the biota of surrounding abyssal plains.

A discussion of how mining and dumping might affect deep ocean communities.

Mangroves (habitat loss)

An indication of the evolution and composition of mangrove communities.

An examination of mangroves in the context of ecosystem function.

A discussion of habitat loss due to human actions in mangrove communities and the implications of this.

Shelf Seas (trawling)

An introduction to shelf sea communities focussing on the diversity of the benthos and epibenthos.

An examination of food web dynamics in shelf seas, their importance in fisheries and the role of protected areas.

A discussion of the effects of destructive fishing practices and whether protected areas work or not.

Shallow water subtidal communities (top predator harvesting)

An introduction to plant-dominated subtidal communities such as sea grasses and kelp forests.

An introduction to the keystone species concept using kelp forests as an example.

A discussion of how human impacts can have cascading effects in marine systems.

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: One diversity and one processes lecture for each of ten weeks
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: 20x 1-hour lectures
Unscheduled Directed Student Hours (time spent away from the timetabled sessions but directed by the teaching staff): 40

Teaching Method 2 - Lecture
Description:
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: 10x 2-hour interactive lectures
Unscheduled Directed Student Hours (time spent away from the timetabled sessions but directed by the teaching staff): One discussion lecture for each of ten weeks

Teaching Method 3 - Online Test
Description: Midterm Examination
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: 1 hour online Midterm Examination in Week 6