This course introduces the world's oceans and coastal zones. We will study in some detail the physical, geological, and chemical properties of the oceans and their associated processes. We will then turn to a description of marine ecosystems and study how the physico-chemical properties control biological processes in the oceans. Many of the principles described in this class are easily applicable to freshwater systems, especially lakes. There are no prerequisites, but the class is designed for students with strong high school backgrounds in science and mathematics. The course will consist of lectures and will include homework assignments, a library research paper, and a project based on manipulation and summary of oceanographic data.

An ecosystem is comprised of the biological community in an area and the physical setting in which it exists. In this upper-level course, students will learn the basic properties of ecosystems. We will focus on the biological and chemical processes within ecosystems, such as energy flow, food web dynamics, microbial processes, and nutrient cycling, and the factors which control them. Different types of ecosystems and how biological and chemical processes differ between them will also be discussed. Finally, we will discuss human activities in ecosystems and how these activities have changed ecosystem processes and properties. This course complements BIO 305, which stresses population and community ecology. The class will consist of lectures, labs, and fieldwork.

Prerequisites: Biology 101-102 and Chemistry 101-102.