Marine and Freshwater Ecology

The course starts by giving students a brief overview of the marine environment and its habitats. Students will be introduced to the major distinguishing features of coastal and open ocean environments and understand the differences between pelagic and demersal the relevant adaptations evolved by marine organisms. During the course, students will also learn about the processes of primary and secondary production in the oceans and about the role of marine organisms in all the major biogeochemical cycles. This knowledge will give students an overview of complexity of food webs and the key organisms for the various processes in the marine environment. The course will also incorporate elements of sustainability, the human impact on marine environment and will end with a short field experience.