Marine Environmental Physiology - Biology 345           Spring 2008

 

Instructors:     Dr. Brad Wetherbee                                      Dr. Brad Seibel

Phone:  874-2335                                           Phone: 874-7997

Email: wetherbee@uri.edu                            seibel@uri.edu

Office: BISC A127                                         BISC B120

Office Hours Mon 10-11 Tue 11-12              Office Hours: TBA

 

Lecture:  MW 1:00-1:50 BISC A105

Laboratory:   BISC 124A

Text:   There is no text for the course but assigned readings will be made available.

 

Course Description:

This subject of this course is the functioning of organisms in the marine environment.  The main approach of this course will be to investigate physiological attributes of organisms that are under constraints imposed by the marine environment.  First we will review the marine environment and physiological processes that occur in a variety of organisms in various settings within the marine environments.  We will focus on adaptations of organisms that promote survival and reproduction in the marine environment and that ultimately influence the distribution of the organisms.  We will survey several systems within organisms that are of particular concern for marine organisms.  We will also discuss several harsh, or extreme marine environments and the related physiology of some of the organisms that live there.    

 

Instruction:

            The primary means of communicating information for this course is lectures and scientific journal articles on each subject discussed in class.  The majority of lecture notes and journal articles will be available on the course website.  There will be approximately two lectures on each major subject, with an introductory lecture and a second lecture/discussion focusing on the journal articles.  Students are expected to read the journal articles assigned for each topic prior to the lectures and be prepared to discuss the topics in class.  Study guides and practice exams will be provided to reinforce major points covered in the course and to prepare for exams. 

 

Course website:  http://www.uri.edu/cels/bio/wetherbee/bio345.htm

 

Laboratory:

            The second major form of instruction will be the laboratory.  Students will complete laboratories exercises that enable them to see physiological processes actually in progress and to provide an opportunity to manipulate environmental parameters and observe responses of marine animals.  The labs will also introduce fundamental techniques used to study marine environmental physiology.  Laboratory handouts will be provided for each laboratory and the exercises will be explained and supervised by the TA.  The

            TA for the laboratories is Al Nyack – alnyack@gmail.com.

 

Paper:

            Each student will be required to write a short paper (approximately 5 double-spaced pages) on a topic of their choice.  The ideal paper will include the following:

1.     A specific marine organism

2.     A description of the physical features of the habitat in which this organism lives.

3.     A major physiological challenge for survival faced by this organism in this environment.

4.     A description of how that organism overcomes this challenge through physiological means.

5.     The paper must focus on the physiology of the organism in its particular environment. 

 

Students should conduct library research using articles published in scientific journals to obtain information used for the paper and these articles should be thoroughly cited in a bibliography.  Information from websites should not be used.  Topics for the papers should be approved by Dr. Seibel by the week before spring break (March 17), and the papers are due by the last day of class (April 28).  Five points will be deducted from the paper grade for each day the paper is late.  

 

Exams:

            The material on exams for this course will primarily come from information presented in lecture and class discussions.  Students are strongly urged to regularly review the lecture notes and notes from discussions prior to the exams.  Exams will be a combination of multiple choice, definitions and short answer/essay questions.  The final exam will be approximately ½ over material discussed during the final section of the course, and ½ over material from the remainder of the semester.  Students that have an approved university excuse for missing an exam should arrange to take a make up exam.  Makeup exams will be entirely essay format.  The final is May 9th, please make travel plans accordingly.

 

Grading:

            Students will be evaluated on the basis of three midsemester exams, the final exam, in-class assignments and the laboratory.  After each exam the cumulative point totals will be posted on the course website so that students are aware of how they are doing in the course.  If you are having trouble in the course see the instructors, TA or Academic Enhancement Services in Roosevelt Hall as soon as possible.  Letter grades will be scaled and assigned based on the point totals below.  Note that grades will correspond to these point totals rather than some standard percentage used in some other classes.     

                                               

Three midsemester exams    150                              406-450           A

Final exam                              100                              400-405           A-

Paper                                        50                              391-399           B+

In class assignments                50                              370-390           B

Laboratory                             100                              351-369           B-

Total                                       450                              341-350           C+

                                                                                    315-340           C

Getting or giving help during an exam,                            305-314           C-

plagiarism and copying from your fellow                                    295-304           D+

students are not allowed in this course.                                      280-294           D

Cheating will be dealt with according to                                     <280                F

the university regulations.  

 

 

 

 

Bio 345 Lecture Schedule

Spring 2008

 

 

Date       

Topic                                            

 

1

M

23-Jan

Introduction

Wetherbee

2

M

28-Jan

Adaptations

Wetherbee

3

W

30-Jan

The Marine Environment

Wetherbee

4

M

4- Feb

Temperature

Wetherbee

5

W

6-Feb

Temperature II

Wetherbee

6

M

11-Feb

Temperature III

Wetherbee

 

W

13-Feb

EXAM I

 

7

M

18-Feb

Gas exchange

Seibel

8

W

20-Feb

Gas exchange

Seibel

9

M

25-Feb

Energetics

Seibel

10

W

27-Feb

Energetics II

Seibel

11

M

3-Mar

Extreme Environments

Seibel

12

W

5-Mar

Extreme Environments II

Seibel

 

M

10-Mar

EXAM II

 

 13

W

12-Mar

Special Lecture

Paper topics due

 

 

17-21 Mar

Spring Break

 

14

M

24-Mar

Deep-sea

Wetherbee

15

W

26-Mar

Deep-sea II

Wetherbee

16

M

31 Mar

Sensory biology

Wetherbee

17

W

2-Apr

Sensory biology II

Wetherbee

18

M

7-Apr

Special lecture

 

 

W

9-Apr

EXAM III

 

19

M

14-Apr

Water and salt exchange

Seibel

20

W

16-Apr

Water and salt exchange II

Seibel

21

M

21-Apr

Acid-base balance

Seibel

22

W

23-Apr

Acid-base balance II

Seibel

23

M

28-Apr

Special lecture

Papers due

 

F

9-May

FINAL EXAM 11:30am