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AQUATIC BIOLOGY

(424) Semester Course 2 credits

PREREQUISITE: One year of biological science or the approval of the instructor.

FROM PROGRAM OF STUDIES

AQUATIC BIOLOGY examines the organisms found in fresh and salt water ecosystems, with particular emphasis placed upon fish and marine mammals. Projects are a major part of the course, the most important of these being the design, upkeep and study of the workings of a freshwater aquarium. AQUATIC BIOLOGY is offered to the general science student wanting to take a science elective beyond the two year requirement for graduation.

RATIONALE

The purpose of this course is to provide students who have and interest in biology and opportunity to explore a specialized area that has appeal to him or her. It is a course design around interest rather than the need to cover a certain number of units of curriculum.

COURSE OUTLINE

( the material covered may vary with the individual teaching the course and if it is taught first or second semester)

I. Physical properties of water

A. pH

B. density and salinity

C. specific heat

D. viscosity

E. Surface tensions

II. Types of Ecosystems including

A. Ponds

B. Rivers

C. Ocean

D. Coral reef

III. Ocean phenomena

A. salinity

B. currents

C. topography

IV. Survey of invertebrates including the following Phyla

A. Porifera

B. Cnidaria

C. Annelida

D. Arthropoda

E. Molluska

F. Echinodermata

V. Fish

A. Cyclostomata

B. Chon richthyes

C. Osteichthyes

VI. Aquatic Mammals

VII. Aquatic plants

Marine algae Collection

VIII. Endangered aquatic environments

SKILLS TO BE DEVELOPED

A student should become familiar with and appreciate the aquatic world around him. The aquarium project provides an opportunity to follow a living system and understand how the dynamics change and the results. Field trips to vernal pools, rivers and ponds hopefully will sharpen this awareness.

TEXTBOOK

There is no text book assigned to this course

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

Animals Without Backbones Bushbaum

Marine Biology Coloring Book, Thomas Niessen

Investigating the Marine Environment: A source Book, Weiss and Dorsey

Monographs by Marine Resources of the Atlantic Coast

OTHER MATERIALS

Labs for dissecting arthropods, mollusks, echinoderms, and fish

Video tapes, computer programs, and field trips including New England Aquarium and Whale Watch.

SAMPLE ASSIGNMENTS

Find information about ocean currents on the internet.

Find out additional information about the invertebrate that was dissected.

Keep a log of the activity in aquarium, including type of fish, births, deaths, physical properties, feeding patterns.

Complete work not finished in class.

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS

The evaluation of students is based on the following:

quizzes and tests

lab practical

notebook

Aquarium

written assignments