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Marine Studies Courses
Introduction to Marine Mammals
This course explores the biology and natural history of marine
mammals in the North Atlantic, including whales, dolphins and
seals. Topics include evolution, anatomy, behavior, field
identification, the history of whaling and contemporary whaling
issues. Demonstration laboratory work will focus on a small
marine mammal. One Saturday field trip on Massachusetts Bay is
required.
Prerequisites: general biology. Offered Fall Semester, anuually.
This course presents a survey of the coastal environment, its physical
characteristics, natural systems, economic uses and
development pressures. Lectures examine strategies formulated
in the US for land and water resource management in the coastal
zone. The roles of federal, state and local government,
environmental groups and resource users are also explored.
Finally, by comparing coastal zone management problems in the
US to those elsewhere in the world, students gain a global
perspective. No prerequisites. Offered Spring Semester, annually.
This lecture/lab course surveys the basic biology, behavior and
the life history of marine biota, and reviews the physical aspects
of various marine habitats from polar to tropical latitudes. The
course focuses on the evolution of adaptive responses to the
oceanic environment and the roles of the physical environment
and species interactions in structuring marine communities.
Laboratory activities include field trips to different marine
habitats and examination of specimens from several marine phyla.
Prerequisites: 1 year of general biology and 1 year of chemistry.
Offered Fall Semester, annually.
This course is a comprehensive introduction to the
economics and ecology of water supply and water
pollution control. Topics include watershed management,
groundwater and wetlands protection, wastewater
treatment and coastal zone management. The inherent
difficulty in applying static laws and regulations to a
dynamic natural resource such as water is a recurring
theme in the course. Strongly recommended for
students interested in environmental management.
No prerequisites. Offered Fall Semester, annually.
Biology of Fishes is designed for upper-level undergraduates well
versed in biological and chemical principles. The 300-level course
builds on the student's knowledge of vertebrate biology in order to
explore and appreciate the differences and diversity among fishes.
The course combines traditional ichthyology such as systematics,
taxonomy, anatomy, and distribution with fish ecology including
species interactions, adaptations, behavior, and conservation.
It emphasizes the phylogenetic relationships among fishes and
the use of systematics as an organizational tool.
The course is taught at the New Engand Aquarium, providing students with the unique opportunity to study living organisms.
Prerequisites: 1 year general biology and two upper level
biology courses. Offered Spring Semester, annually.
Biology of Whales
This course provides a comprehensive review of the
biology and conservation of cetaceans.
A thorough grounding
in cetacean mammalogy and population biology will prepare students
to understand conservation
problems presented as case histories by leading researchers
in the field. Prerequisites: 1 year general biology and two upper level
biology courses.
This course is an introduction to New England?s
maritime history, with secondary emphasis on its
relationship to the coastal ecosystem. The course moves
chronologically from the earliest fishing and shipbuilding
settlements in the 17th century to the establishment of
dominant maritime industries in the 19th century. We will
follow the capital
generated by maritime industries as some of it moved
ashore to finance the industrial revolution and the opening
of the West, and follow a diminishing
maritime culture through the Second World War. As we
proceed, we also discuss the evolving relationship
between our maritime economy and culture and the coastal
environment. No pre-requisites. Offerred annually, Spring Semesters.
Field trips explore the rich resources of regional institutions such
as the Peabody museum, Salem, MA; the USS
Constitution, Boston, MA; and Mystic Seaport, CT.
Wetlands: Ecology, Hydrology, Restoration
This course examines the vital role of wetlands in the hydrology and ecology
of global landscapes. The function of inland and coastal marshes, swamps
and bogs and their role in water and nutrient cycles will be examined. We will
also survey the biodiverity of wetlands habitats, from microbes to vertebrates.
The biological links between wetlands and human activities, such as agriculture,
coastal development, and fisheries will be considered, as well as the legal framework
for the protection and restoration of endangered wetlands. Prerequisites:
One year of an introductory science (geology or chemistry or biology or
physics or engineering or economics); and two semesters of upper level
(elective) science courses. Offered Fall Semesters, annually.
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Coastal Zone Management
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Marine Biology
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Water Resources
Planning & Management
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Biology of Fishes
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(formerly Cetacean Biology)
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Maritime History
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