Applied Marine Biology (Marin)

To provide the students with an understanding of the various environmental implications of human influence and exploitation of the living resources for marine ecosystem structure and functioning, and how such effects are linked to the physical and chemical environment.

The student will achieve the ability to:

• Evaluate the potential impacts of different types of algal blooms
• Provide an overview of the potential effects of climate change on marine ecosystems
• Assess and predict environmental effects of aquaculture
• Understand the background and effects of eutrophication and pollution of coastal marine ecosystems

Knowledge:

• Identify the main groups of organisms in aquatic ecosystems (viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytes, benthic organisms and fish) and their trophic interactions
• Understand key biological processes involved in marine primary production and biogeochemical cycling
• Identify central marine habitats and describe their characteristics

Skills:

• Describe the role of marine microorganisms in local and global biogeochemical cycling.
• Describe the effects of climate change on marine systems, exemplified by selected groups of organisms.
• Determine major anthropogenic influences on aquatic systems in offshore, coastal and estuarine habitats.

Competences:

• Determine the resource requirements (bottom‐up) and trophic interactions (top‐down) for aquatic organisms
• Describe the effects of increased nutrient input to aquatic systems, with particular emphasis on coastal ecosystems.
• Develop strategies for predicting and managing anthropogenic effects on coastal marine environments