10/31/2025 4:34:28 PM	BIO 25 Course Outline as of Summer 2021	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  BIO 25	Title:  MARINE BIOLOGY
Full Title:  Marine Biology
Last Reviewed:11/4/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	4.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	4.00	Lab Scheduled	3.00		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	52.50
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	6.00			Contact Total	105.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 210.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Introduction to biological oceanography, natural history, taxonomy, and ecology of major plant and animal groups of the world's oceans with emphasis on the Pacific Coast of North America. Examines human interactions with, and impacts upon, the marine environment.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Introduction to biological oceanography, natural history, taxonomy, and ecology of major plant and animal groups of the world's oceans with emphasis on the Pacific Coast of North America. Examines human interactions with, and impacts upon, the marine environment.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:	Fall 2025
Area:	C H L5 C H	Natural Sciences Global Perspective and Environmental Literacy Physical and Biological Sciences Natural Sciences Global Perspective and Environmental Literacy
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	B2	Life Science		Fall 1981
	B3	Laboratory Activity
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	5B	Biological Sciences		Fall 1981
	5C	Fulfills Lab Requirement
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Apply the scientific method, laboratory and field skills to the investigation and evaluation of

    biological phenomena in the marine environment.

2.  Synthesize knowledge of evolutionary mechanisms, trends, and history with patterns of

    marine biodiversity.

3.  Integrate basic principles of cellular processes, anatomy, physiology, ecology, and evolution

    as they apply to marine biological systems.

4.  Investigate how humans impact and are impacted by marine ecosystems.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Apply the scientific method to marine biological investigation.

2. Apply laboratory and field techniques, including microscope use, sampling techniques, and

    proper note-taking, to observing, identifying, and experimenting with marine organisms and

    biological phenomenon.

3. Compare and contrast the cell structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and

    of plant and animal cells.

4. Compare and contrast the mechanisms of evolution and explain how they lead to the major

    evolutionary patterns and adaptations in the biodiversity of major marine taxa (domains,

    kingdoms, phyla, and class).

5. Integrate knowledge of physical and biological oceanography, including the distribution of

    nutrients and plankton in the sea.

6. Describe the concepts of zonation, ecological succession, population growth and regulation in

    marine ecosystems.

7. Understand the role of biotic and/or abiotic factors in the structure of biomes, ecosystems,

    communities, and populations, and how humans interact with these systems.

8. Compare and contrast the physical and biological structure of selected marine communities,

    including distribution and trophic relationships.

9. Analyze and explain the impact of human activities on marine communities and methods used

    to mitigate these impacts and to restore marine habitats.

Topics and Scope

I. Science as a Process

    A. Scientific method

    B. Techniques used specifically in marine research

II. The Ocean as a Habitat

     A. Light and temperature

     B. Dissolved gases

     C. Pressure changes with depth

     D. Salinity, temperature, and density

     E. Stratification of the ocean

III. Physical Oceanography

     A. Tides

     B. Currents

     C. Waves

IV. Properties of Life

     A. Characteristics of life

     B. Overview of cell structure: eukaryotic and prokaryotic; algal and animal

     C. Overview of cell respiration and photosynthesis

V. Evolution and Systematics of Marine Organisms

     A. Mechanisms of evolution

     B. Diversity of marine organisms

     C. Species concepts and speciation

    D. Phylogeny

VI. General Marine Ecology

    A. Primary and secondary production distribution: patterns and causes

    B. Food chains, food webs, and trophic hierarchies

    C. Nutrient cycles: nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon

    D. Human impacts on the nutrient cycles listed above, including climate change and

         eutrophication

    E. Upwelling and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events

    F. Principles of population biology including the concept of carrying capacity

    G. Habitat disturbance and succession

VII. Marine Organisms

    A. Marine plants: the seagrasses and mangroves

     B. Protists: macroalgae, phytoplankton, protozoan zooplankton

    C. Fungi

     D. Bacteria: importance in primary production and nutrient cycles

     E. Animals: fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, marine invertebrates

VIII. Ecology of Major Habitat Types

    A. Kelp forest

     B. Intertidal: mudflats, sandy beaches, rocky intertidal

    C. Coral reefs

     D. Estuaries

     E. Pelagic: epipelagic, mesopelagic, deep sea

    F. Deep sea benthos: hydrothermal vents, cold seeps and chemosynthesis

IX. Fisheries

     A. Maximum sustainable yield

     B. Historical fisheries practices and collapses, causes and consequences

     C. Current problems related to overexploitation and new methods of stock management

     D. Aquaculture promise and problems including genetically modified organisms

X. Ocean Pollution

     A. Sources and types of pollution

     B. Impact of toxins on marine organisms including the concept of biological magnification

XI. Marine Conservation and Protected Areas

     A. History of marine resource use

     B. Current methods used to protect marine habitats and resources worldwide including marine

         reserves and marine sanctuaries.

 

LABORATORY/FIELD MATERIAL:

I.    Compound and Dissecting Microscope Use

II.   Properties of Sea Water

III.  Osmoregulation in Marine Animals

IV. Taxonomy of Marine Organisms

V.  Marine Animal Groups: Anatomy, Physiology, Ecology and Field Identification including

    Class or Order Level Differences

    A. Invertebrates including: sponges, cnidarians, mollusks, arthropods, echinoderms

     B. Vertebrates including: marine mammals and birds

VI. Vascular plants: Anatomy, Physiology, Ecology, and Field Identification

VII. Macroalgae: Anatomy, Physiology, Ecology, and Field Identification

    A. Chlorophyta

    B. Phaeophyta

    C. Rhodophyta

VIII. Plankton Collection, Review, and Identification

     A. Phytoplankton

         1. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic

         2. Net plankton vs. nano plankton

    B. Zooplankton

          1. Protistan vs. animal plankton

         2. Mero plankton vs. holoplankton

IX. Intertidal Zonation: Zone Indicators in Rocky Intertidal and/or Mudflats

X.  Human Impacts on Marine Environments

    A. Fisheries and/or pollution

    B. Habitat degradation and restoration ecology

Assignments:

Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Reading: textbooks, case studies, and scientific articles (20-30 pages per week)

2. Written homework including analysis of readings (0-5 assignments)

3. Research paper that shows topic coverage and critical analysis (5-7 pages)

4. Lecture exams (2-3) and comprehensive final exam

 

Lab-Related Assignments:

1. Field/lab Work: Weekly laboratory experiments, observations and exercises including data

    analysis and interpretation, lab exams, and field trip notes

2. Participation: class discussion and presentations

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 15 - 20%
Research paper
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 25%
Analysis of experiments and homework problems
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 30%
Field and laboratory work
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 40 - 55%
Exams and comprehensive final exam
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 10%
Participation, class discussion and presentations

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Marine Biology. Castro, Peter and Huber, Michael. 11th ed. McGraw-Hill. 2018

An Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life. Morrisey, John and Sumich, James and Pinkard-Meier, Deanna. 11th ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2016

Instructor prepared materials: lab manual

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