Marine Ecology

BIOE 108/208

Winter 2009

Lecture

T / Th 4:00 - 5:45 PM - Center for Ocean Health 118, UCSC Long

Marine Laboratory

Discussion Sections

(A) Tuesday 6:00-7:10 pm, Center for Ocean Health 201 (Library)

(B) Wednesday 5:00-6:10 pm, Center for Ocean Health 201

(Library)

(C) Thursday 6:00-7:10 pm, Center for Ocean Health 201 (Library)

Instructor

Mark Carr and 254A COH

carr@biology.ucsc.edu, 459-3958

Office hours:

Wednesday 5:00-6:00

and by appointment, 254A COH

Teaching Assistant

Kendra Karr, 255 COH

karr@biology.ucsc.edu, 459-5783

Office hours: Monday 5:00-6:00 and

by appointment

Biology 160 Syllabus - Winter 2005 http://bio.classes.ucsc.edu/bio160/syllabus.htm

1 of 4 5/3/09 7:36 AM

Raimondi / Carr Lab

Raimondi / Carr Lab

Grad students, post-docs, research information

Course Objectives

This course is intended to teach students both a basic understanding of the ecological

processes that determine the structure and dynamics of populations and communities in

coastal marine ecosystems, and how to conduct ecological research to reveal such

processes. When students leave this course, they should know how to: (1) look for,

identify and describe patterns in nature, (2) develop testable alternative hypotheses for

the causes of observed patterns, and (3) design and carry out appropriate empirical tests

of the predictions of hypotheses to explain observed patterns. The structure of the course

reflects these goals. Lectures are presented over the first 8 weeks of the quarter. We will

first discuss the process of doing science, then use classic papers in marine ecology as

the framework for understanding the process of doing sound research. Many of the

papers presented in lecture are central or seminal papers for paradigms in marine

ecology. Discussions are based upon the idea that one way to learn to do good science is

to evaluate the work of others. For this purpose, small groups of students are responsible

for leading discussions of work conducted subsequent to, and that compliments, the

classic studies presented in lectures. In addition, one or two guest lecturers will discuss

their own research. This will provide students with current examples of how one poses

and tests hypotheses in ecology.

Readings

Readings are available online at this website on the

readings page. Access is password protected. Bibliographic

information and links to many of the authors are also

provided on this page. You can print copies at the Science

Library. We will try to keep required readings to a minimum

in order to leave you more opportunity to read the

appropriate literature to guide or help motivate your

pre-proposal and proposal (see below). We will announce

readings in class, but they are also listed on the course

syllabus and are posted on the course web page. This is

not intended to be a basic ecology course. If you feel that

you need additional help understanding ecological

concepts, we recommend the following optional

resources:

Biology 160 Syllabus - Winter 2005 http://bio.classes.ucsc.edu/bio160/syllabus.htm

2 of 4 5/3/09 7:36 AM

Supplemental Texts:

Bertness MD, Gaines SD, Hay ME. 2000. Marine Community Ecology. Sinauer Assoc. ISBN 0878930574

Sumich, James L. and Morrissey, John . Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life, Eighth Edition. Jones and

Bartlett Publishers. ISBN: 076373313X

Basic ecology references:

Townsend CR, M. Begon and JL Harper. 2003. Essentials of Ecology. Second Edition. Backwell

Science, Cambridge, MA. ISBN 1-4051-0328-0

Gotelli, NJ. 2001. A Primer of Ecology. Third Edition. SinauerAssociates, Inc., Sunderland,

Massachusetts. ISBN 0-87893-273-9 (this is strictly a population ecology text)

Krebs, CJ. 1999. Ecological Methodology. Second Edition. Benjamin Cummings, Menlo Park, CA.

ISBN 0-321-02173-8

Morin, PJ. 1999. Community Ecology. Backwell Science, Cambridge, MA. ISBN 0-86542-350-4

Field Trips

There are two planned field trips this quarter. The field trips

are not required because they are not during class period.

However, you are strongly encouraged to attend!!! These

trips are designed to introduce you to patterns in nature

and methods for identifying and quantifying such patterns.

Field trip destinations and dates are:

Trip 1: Saturday afternoon, January 10: Elkhorn Slough

Trip 2: Saturday afternoon, February 7: Natural Bridges

Interaction

Interact with Mark and Kendra. Do this as much as you can. Learning how to do marine

ecological research (or any form of ecological research) is best done as an

apprenticeship. Although the class is too large to truly collaborate with or mentor each

individual, the goal is to spend as much time as possible in discussion with you about

the scientific process, all the way from the abstract (i.e. the philosophy of science),

through the more general (how you would go about devising specific tests for general

hypotheses in your proposal; see below), to the specific (how to measure a particular

variable and statistically analyze/interpret results). If due to a scheduling conflict you cannot attend office

hours, or if you need more assistance than can be provided during regularly scheduled office hours, it is your

responsibility to set up alternative meeting times with the instructors. Under normal circumstances this

should not be a problem.

Assessment

There will be one scheduled exam on March 3 . It represents 30% of the final class

grade. Another 15% of your grade will come from participation in discussion and

lecture (THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A PARTICIPATORY CLASS). Also, you will be

expected to keep a chronicle of patterns and hypotheses, which you will turn in every

week. 45% of your assessment will be based on the combination of a written

pre-proposal, written proposal, and oral presentation of the proposal. Remember the

Biology 160 Syllabus - Winter 2005 http://bio.classes.ucsc.edu/bio160/syllabus.htm

3 of 4 5/3/09 7:36 AM

major goal of this course is to teach you how to conduct marine ecological research.

Lectures and exams have limited ability to teach and assess how to conduct marine ecological research. For

this reason, individuals or pairs of students will be expected to write a research proposal and present it to the

class during the last two weeks of class. The first step of writing the proposal will be a description of

pattern(s) due Feb 10 . A pre-proposal is due Feb 19 . Each pre-proposal will be critically and anonymously

reviewed by two students. Reviews will be due Feb 26. As noted, each student will be expected to present

the full proposal sometime during the last two weeks of class (these will be scheduled during class hours,

there will be no lectures). The final proposal will be due on Mar 17. We will talk more about the proposal in

upcoming meetings.

Final Exam 30%

Participation in

Discussion10%

Participation in

Lecture5%

Pattern and

Hypothesis

Chronicle

10%

Student Evaluation

of Pre-proposal5%

Presentation of

Proposal10%

Written Proposal 30%

HOME

Biology 160 Syllabus - Winter 2005 http://bio.classes.ucsc.edu/bio160/syllabus.htm

4 of 4 5/3/09 7:36 AM