HomeMy WebLinkAboutBIO-229Bergen Community College
Division of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Department of Biology and Horticulture
Tropical Marine Ecology (BIO-229)
General Course Syllabus
Revised: Spring 2015
Semester and year:
Section number:
Meeting times and locations:
Instructor:
Office Location:
Phone:
Office Hours:
Email Address:
Course Title: Tropical Marine Ecology (BIO-229)
Course Description: This course covers characteristics of populations,
communities, and ecosystems found in tropical regions.
Taught at the Keys Marine Laboratory in Long Key, Florida,
during the spring semester break, students will study coral
reef, structure and ecology, the intertidal zone, mangrove and
terrestrial communities, interstitial organisms, and trophic
relationships. Lab sessions will include field experiences,
group projects and report writing.
Prerequisites: BIO-101 General Biology I and BIO-203 General Biology
II (or permission of instructor)
General Education
Course:
No
Course credits: 4.0
Hours per week: 6.0: 3 hours lecture and 3 hours lab
Course Coordinator: Robert Dill
Required Lecture
Textbook:
Marine Biology, An Ecological Approach, Nybakken, current
edition.
Laboratory manual: Exploring Marine Biology, Laboratory and Field Exercises,
Haefner, P.A., D.C. Heath Company, Lexington, MA, current
edition.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: To acquire an understanding of the general principles
of tropical marine ecology and the role of marine
organisms in global tropical ecosystems. To become
proficient in biological methods and techniques which
measure various parameters of the tropical marine
environment.
Student Learning Objectives
The student will be able to:
1. Students will investigate the major principles of tropical marine
ecology and the relationship of tropical marine organisms to all
tropical ecosystems. Assessment will be based upon performance
on exam questions. Assessment can also be based on research
projects.
2. Students will model proper scientific procedure to identify various
types of tropical marine organisms. Students will learn the physical,
chemical, and biological methods which measure various
parameters of the tropical marine environment. Assessment will be
based on performance on laboratory practical exams.
3. Students will be able to explain the scientific basis for techniques
used in lab, and the field. Students will be required to demonstrate
their retention and acquisition of this knowledge by answering exam
questions.
4. Students will demonstrate proper scientific laboratory record
keeping. Students will be evaluated by grading of lab notebooks.
5. Students will model critical thinking skills, and apply them to lecture
material and the analysis of laboratory data. Students will be
evaluated by analysis of experimental results in laboratory repo rts
and research project.
Student Assessment Tools:
The above student learning objectives will be generally assessed or evaluated by instructors using a
variety of assessment instruments including lecture exams, laboratory exams, quizzes, laboratory
reports, written reports, presentations, projects, etc. The decisions concerning the type or types and
number of instruments that are used in a specific section of the course will be left to the instructor of that
section. This information, when given by the instructor should be recorded by the student in the Student
Assessment Section of this document.
COURSE CONTENT:
UNIT TOPIC READINGS
1 Ecological Principles Chapter 1
Terrestrial and Marine Ecosystems
2 Ecology of Coral Reefs Chapter 9
Trophic Relationships
Primary Productivity Chapter 2
3 Higher Trophic Levels Chapter 2, 3
Detritus and Dissolved Organic Matter
4 Intertidal Ecology Chapter 6
Rocky Intertidal
Sandy Intertidal
Muddy Shores
5 Mangrove Ecology Chapter 9
Ecology of Reef Fish Chapter 3
6 Shallow-water Subtidal Benthic Ecology Chapter 5
Terrestrial Ecosystems
7 Fouling Communities Chapter 8
Sargassum and associated organisms
8 Marine Mammals Handout
LABORATORY SCHEDULE:
Laboratory 1 Sandy Intertidal Ecology
Laboratory 2 Patch Reef Ecology
Laboratory 3 Mangrove Ecology
Laboratory 4 Offshore Reef Ecology
Laboratory 5 Rocky Intertidal Ecology
Laboratory 6 Gulf of Mexico Reef Ecology
Laboratory 7 Seagrass Communities
Laboratory 8 Independent/Group Research Project
Student Assessment: Lecture Examinations %
Laboratory Component %
Student Project/Report %
Class Participation %
Other %
Total 100%
If you have a medical condition or develop a medical condition during this semester,
which prevents you from fulfilling the requirements of this course, you must notify your
physician. You and your physician must decide whether or not it is appropriate for you
to remain in this course. If the decision is to remain in this course, please obtain a letter
from your physician indicating that your continued participation in this course is
appropriate and present it to the Department Chair.
Faculty Addenda: As per individual faculty member
Lecture Attendance: As per instructor;
Lab Attendance: As per instructor;
Policy Concerning Late Assignments: As per instructor;
Policy Concerning Make-Up Testing: As per instructor;
Safety Information: As per instructor and assigned exercise;
College Policies:
Student Responsibility
Students will be held responsible for reading all pertinent information in college publications
regarding withdrawals, course drops, college deadlines, and tuition refunds. Students are
responsible for compliance with the rules and regulations as stated in college publications.
Absence of Instructor
Students are expected to wait twenty minutes for a faculty member to come to class. If at the
end of twenty minutes, the faculty member does not come, the students should sign an
attendance sheet, which indicates the course, date, and time. A student should deliver the
attendance sheet to the divisional office (A304) if between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. or to the
Evening Office (C107) if before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. Students cannot be penalized by
faculty for not waiting longer than twenty minutes.
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
Bergen Community College is committed to academic integrity – the honest, fair and
continuing pursuit of knowledge, free from fraud or deception. Students are responsible for
their own work. Faculty and academic support services staff will take appropriate measures to
discourage academic dishonesty. Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty and may be a
violation of U.S. Copyright laws. Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking someone else’s
words, opinions, or ideas and claiming them as one’s own.
Consequences of Violations Academic Integrity
A. Instructor’s Sanctions for a Violation
The faculty member will determine the course of action to be followed. This may include:
• Assigning a failing grade on the assignment;
• Assigning a lower final course grade;
• Failing the student in the course
• Other penalties appropriate to the violation;
In all cases, the instructor shall notify the Vice President of Student Services of the
violation and the penalty imposed. The student has the right to appeal the decision of the
instructor to the appropriate department head.
B. Institutional Sanctions for Violations
When a violation of academic integrity has been reported regarding a student, the Vice
President of Student Services may impose disciplinary penalties beyond those imposed by
the course instructor, which may include suspension or dismissal from the College. The
student shall have the right to a hearing before the Vice President of Student Services or a
designated judicial affairs committee. Judicial procedures governing violations of academic
integrity are contained in the student handbook.
Class Attendance
All students are expected to attend punctually every scheduled meeting of each course in
which they are registered. Attendance and lateness policies and sanctions are to be
determined by the instructor for each section of each course. These will be established in
writing on the individual course outline. Attendance will be kept by the instructor for
administrative and counseling purposes.
Eating and Drinking
Eating or drinking in classrooms, lecture rooms, laboratories, gymnasium, swimming pool, or
passageways is forbidden. Covered beverages only are permitted in the library. Eating and
drinking are permitted in cafeteria and vending areas only.
Learning Assistance
Henry and Edith Cerullo Learning Assistance Center
The Tutoring Center, English Language Resource Center, Math Walk-In Center and Writing
Center are collectively known as the Henry and Edith Cerullo Learning Assistance Center.
The Cerullo Learning Assistance Center is located in the Pitkin Education Building, in Room L-
125. The telephone number is (201) 447-7489. The Learning Assistance Center, staffed with
peer and professional tutors, offers free individual and group tutoring, supplemental
instruction, and online tutoring for subjects offered at the College. The Center provides
alternative approaches to problem solving and organizational skills. Tutors help clarify
classroom lectures and textbooks and help students prepare for exams. These services build
student self-confidence and reduce fear of failure. The Center is equipped with the latest
technology and software, including tapes, books, review sheets, exercises and software.
Services for Students with Disabilities
The Office of Specialized Services/ Deaf Services, located in L-115 in the Pitkin Education
Center provides accommodations and auxiliary services to students with disabilities attending
Bergen Community College. Students are encouraged to submit documentation to OSS
during the early stages of the admission process. The suggested deadlines for submitting
documentation are as follows: August 1st for fall semesters, December 1st for spring
semesters. For more information please contact our office at 201-612-5270 or at
www.bergen.edu/oss.
Sidney Silverman Library
Main Building, Pitkin Education Center, L-wing, 2nd Floor.
Paramus Library Hours: (201) 447-7131 or visit
http://www.bergen.edu/library/calendar/gcal.htm
Paramus Service Desk: (201) 447-7970
Meadowlands Location: 1280 Wall Street, Lyndhurst 2nd Floor
Meadowlands Library Hours: http://www.bergen.edu/library/calendar/gcal.htm
Meadowlands Service Desk: (201) 301-9692
www.bergen.edu/library
Testing Services
The Bergen Community College Office of Testing Services (OTS) is located in Room S-127.
OTS serves the college community by identifying, developing, procuring, administering,
processing, and/or evaluating examinations, which meet a variety of administrative and
instructional needs. To contact the OTS, please call (201) 447-7202. The Office of Testing
Services administers makeup tests as a service for students who, for compelling and
exceptional reasons, have missed a scheduled classroom examination. Students must receive
prior permission from and make arrangements with their course instructors to take these
examinations, under specific conditions, in the Office of Testing Services, Room S-127.
WebAdvisor
WebAdvisor is a web interface that allows students to access information contained in
Datatel’s Colleague, the administrative database used by Bergen Community College.
Students may use WebAdvisor to register for classes, to pay tuition and fees, to view their
class schedules, to check grades, to check on progress toward degree requirements, etc.
WebAdvisor accounts are available for all students enrolled in credit programs. New students
are strongly encouraged to attend an in-person registration or advisement session before
using a WebAdvisor account. Eligible students without WebAdvisor user names and
passwords may access their WebAdvisor account by going to go.bergen.edu and selecting
“I’m new to WebAdvisor.” Then, follow the on-screen directions. Check the WebAdvisor FAQ
for answers to common questions, such as how to reset your password. Students must have a
valid e-mail address on file with the College to use WebAdvisor