MARINE SCIENCE (MS)
Office: 319 Biology Building
The following courses are taught during the summer session at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab on Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Introduction to the biology, management, harvesting techniques, and processes of the commercially valuable species in the Gulf of Mexico.
Study of coastlines and coastline features and the forces that actively shape and modify the entire coastal system. Features of coastlines around the world are studied; the Alabama coast serves as the field laboratory.
Credit earned in this course may not be applied to the requirements of the biological sciences major or minor. Field sampling techniques, laboratory analysis of sediments, topography, sediments, and history of the world oceans.
Survey of the invertebrates, vertebrates, and marine plants as communities, with emphasis on local examples.
MS 398 Undergraduate Research. 1 to 4 hours.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, a written synopsis of the proposed project, and permission of a supervising faculty member.
A written report of the work performed is required. A maximum of 4 hours may be applied toward the interdisciplinary marine science degree.
Introduction to the physical factors that produce coastal region climates, with emphasis on the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Comparative study of the major marine invertebrate phyla, protozoa through protochordates. The focus is on their morphology, physiology, ecology, and phylogenetic relationships.
Study of the floral and faunal elements of various marine marsh communities. The interaction of physical and biological factors is emphasized. Field trips acquaint students with regional examples of marsh types.
Bioenergetics, community structure, population dynamics, predation, competition, and specialization in marine ecosystems.
Study of coastal and pelagic birds with emphasis on ecology, taxonomy, and distribution.
Review of ecological features, physical management policies for coastal communities, and a description of relevant federal and state programs.
A general introduction to the oceans, with emphasis on chemical, physical, and geological processes and their relation to biological systems.
Systematics, zoogeography, and ecology of marine vertebrates.
Reproduction, taxonomy, systematics, distribution, and ecology of the major marine plant groups.