SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
TheOceanandGlobalChangeCASNS326(4credits)CourseCatalogDescription:Oceanecosystemchangeintheanthropocene:warming,acidification,fisheriesdepletion,andpollution.Reviewprinciplesofcirculation,seawaterchemistry,nutrientdynamics,andbiologicalproductiontounderstandcausesandconsequencesofchangeinCaribbeanreef,seagrass,andmangroveecosystems.Conductfieldmeasurementsforcontributiontotime-seriesdatasets.Instructor:SeaEducationAssociationOceanographyFacultyLocations:SEAcampusinWoodsHole,MA,atafieldstationintheU.S.VirginIslands,andatseaonSEA’ssailingschoolvesselCorwithCramer.Prerequisites:AdmissiontoSEASemester.Sophomorestandingorconsentofinstructor.CoursePhilosophyandApproach:
Humanitydependsupon,andextractsvaluefrom,theoceanforfood,climate,tourism,andpersonalwell-being,aswellasmanyothernecessaryecosystemservices.ThisiscertainlytrueofthecoastalenvironmentsintheCaribbean,includingreefsthatprovide100sofmillionsofdollarsworthofhuman-valuedservices.Oursisthefirstgenerationtotrulyappreciatethattheglobaloceanecosystemisnotimmutablebutinsteadhasundergoneandcontinuestoundergorapidchangecausedbymillenniaofunsustainablehumanpractices.Collectivelytheseanthropogenicchangestotheocean(aswellasterrestrialandatmosphericecosystems)haveledtothedesignationofanewgeologictimeperiod–theAnthropocene.AholisticviewpointisrequiredtounderstandthemyriadimpactsoftheAnthropoceneonCaribbeancoastalecosystems.Nestledbetweenlocaldriversassociatedwithhumanpracticesonlandandglobalphenomenonmediatedthroughchangesinoceanconditions,CaribbeanreefssitatthecenterofAnthropocenechange.Thus,ourstudieswillemployanislandridge-toptooceanreef-crestapproach,withafairsharetounderstandinghistoricaldrivers.Globalwarming,acidification,fisheriesdepletion,andpollutionarebutafewexamplesofhumanpressuresontheoceansthatinfluencenaturalpatternsinthedistribution,diversityandabundanceofmarineorganisms.Unfortunately,astheglobaloceancontinuestochangeitnolongerprovidesthegoodsandserviceshumanityrequiresandourlivelihoodisthreatened.Itisimportanttonotethathumanextractionfromtheoceanandcorrespondingnegativeenvironmentalimpactsarenotsharedequallyamongallsocio-political,culturalgroups.Thereare,inthemostreductiveofterms,winnersandlosers.ThiscourseexaminesthehistoryandconditionoftheAnthropocene-oceanwithemphasisonobservedpressures,ecologicalresponsesandpotentialsolutions(management,adaptation,andmitigation)thatarejustandequitableforallhumanity.
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
Webuildafoundationofglobaloceanprinciplesbyfirstreviewingoceancirculation,seawaterchemistry,nutrientdynamics,andbiologicalproduction.Wewillthenexaminethemanywayshumanityextractsvaluefromtheglobaloceanhighlightingthenegativeconsequencesofunsustainablepractices.Humanimpactsonoceanecosystemswillbeexaminedthroughregionalcasestudies(i.e.theEasternCaribbeanislands)thatillustratethefollowinginterdisciplinary,programthemesandrelatedoceanographictopics:
1) EnvironmentalJustice–Eutrophication,CoastalPollutionandTourism2) EconomicEquity–FisheriesandOceanResourceExtraction3) SenseofPlace–IconicSpeciesandtheScienceofMarineProtectedAreas4) TheAnthropocene–ClimateChangeandtheRoleofScienceinPolicy-making
WhenwemoveourclassroomtotheU.S.VirginIslandswewillmeetwithresidentexpertsintheacademic,scientific,government,andnon-governmentfieldswhosejobistofindsolutionstothemyriadchallengesofmarineconservationintheCaribbean.Examplesofquestionsthiscoursewillexploreandtrytoansweronbothregionalandglobalscalesinclude:Isoceanproductivitydiminishingassurfacewaterswarm?Areoxygen-deprivedwatersbecomingmorewidespreadasthesurfaceoceanbecomesmorestratified?Willopen-oceanplanktoncommunitieschangeinresponsetotheacidificationofseawater?Doesdepletionoftoppredatorsimpactlowerfoodwebstructureandinteractionsoncoralreefs?Willincreasednutrientloadingshiftcoral-algal-spongecommunitycomposition?Canplasticmarinedebrisserveasasubstrateforbiologicalproductionandvectorfornon-nativeintroductions?Howcanthebestavailablescienceinformandguidesustainableuseofcoastalecosystemresources?Howmusthumaneconomic,political,andsocialstructurerespondtoclimatechangethroughadaptationand/ormitigation?Thiscourseconsistsof17lecture/discussionsessions(approx.1.5hourseach),1exambasedon‘fundamentals’lectures(4hours),4globaloceancasestudiespresentedbystudents(4hours)andcorrespondingdiscussionquestionstobeincludedinstudentjournals(1hourpertopic=4hours),andgreaterthan36hoursoflaboratorywatchparticipation(activelearning/laboratory)acrossabout18underwaydaysatsea.SomeofthesessionsarejointactivitiesintegratedwithotherCaribbeanReefExpeditioncourses,andtheweeklycontacthoursgiveninthepreliminarycoursecalendarbelowreflectsonlytheportionallocationtotheOGCcourse.LearningOutcomes:
1. Understand,fromascientificperspective,humanvalueofoceanandcoastalecosystems.2. Understand,fromascientificperspective,anthropogenicpressuresonoceanandcoastal
ecosystems.3. Fosteroceanliteracy,toencourageacommitmenttosecuringoceanhealth.4. Gainpracticalexperienceinoceanographicdatacollection,analysis,andreporting.
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
Evaluation:
OnShore:FundamentalsExam 15%
CaribbeanRegionCaseStudy• Presentations(10%)• FactSheets(10%)
20%
OGCJournal–onshore&theislands 20%
AtSea:LabWatchParticipation 20%
OGCJournal–atSea• EquipmentDiagram(5%)• CreatureFeature(5%)
10%
OceanographicDataReports 15%
AssignmentsonShore:
FundamentalsExam:Atake-homeexam,coveringmaterialfromlectures,readingsanddiscussions,willbegivenattheendofWeek2onshore.Emphasiswillbeonapplicationofconceptsandidentificationofmarineorganismsintroducedinclass,notrotememorizationoffacts.Expecttospendapproximately4hoursontheexam.CaribbeanRegionCaseStudy:ThefinalweeksoftheshorecomponentwillexplorethefourCaribbeanReefExpeditionprogramthemesfromscientific/oceanographicperspectivesthroughcloseexaminationofregionalcasestudies.Formallectureswillintroduceeachprogramthemeandrelevantoceanographicconcepts,whilestudent-ledpresentationsandclassdiscussionwillhighlightthecomplexinteractionofthe-best-available-sciencewithhumanenterpriseandtheunsustainableoceanpoliciesthatareoftentheresult.Workinginsmallteams,studentswillresearch,presentandleaddiscussionoftheirchosenCaribbeanregioncasestudy.StudentpresentationswillprovideadetailedviewofeachcasestudyincludingrelevantbackgroundmaterialandhighlightthechallengesandimplicationsarisingfromanthropogenicchangestocoastalenvironmentsandresourcesoftheCaribbean.Individually,eachstudentwillprepareatwo-pagefactsheetandresourcelistthatdetailsaspecifictopicrelatedtotheirchosenregionalcasestudy.Theentireclassisexpectedtodotherequiredreadingsandengageinclassdiscussionforeachregionalcasestudypresentation.OGCJournalonshoreandtheislands:Classnotes,reflections,andformalresponsestoweeklydiscussionprompts,allneatlyrecordedandorganizedinaprovidedjournal,willassessstudentunderstandingof,andengagement,witheachCaribbeanReefExpeditionthemeandcorrespondingregionalcasestudy.Classnotesincludefacultylecturesandstudentregional
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
case-studypresentations.Reflectionswillincludestudent’sthoughtsandconsiderationofeachprogramthemebasedonassignedreadingsandtheirownexploration.Formalresponsestodiscussionpromptswilladdresspotentialsolutionstoregionalproblemsidentifiedineachcasestudy.WhileintheU.S.VirginIslands,wewillexperiencefirsthandourregionalcasestudiesinactionthroughaseriesofdiscussionswithlocalexperts.Thesemeetingswillbefollowedbydiscussionpromptsandreflectionquestionsforeachprogramthemethatwillberecordedinstudentjournals.AssignmentsatSea:
LabWatchParticipation:Watchactivitiesonboardshipwillbeassessedinon-watchevaluationsbySEAAssistantScientists.Eachstudentisanessentialcrewmemberoftheshipatsea.Excellentwatch-standersfollowdirection,workeffectivelyaspartoftheteam,showindependence,demonstrategoodjudgmentandleadership,andareasupportive,helpful,andreliableshipmate.Teamworkisparticularlyimportantinthiscourse,somuchsothatastudent’sattitudeandparticipationdirectlyaffectsthephysicalprogressandultimatesuccessofthevoyage.Overthecourseoffourweeksatseastudentswillprogressthroughthreephasesofresponsibility.InphaseIstudentsareactivelylearninglabskills,inphaseIItheyactivelyapplyingthoseskillstoachieveourscientificmission,andinphaseIIItheytaketheleadinrunningalllabwatchactivities.OGCJournalatsea:Studentswilldocumenttheirscientificjourneyatsea,includingatleastthesetwoentriesintheirjournals:
• OceanographyEquipmentDiagram–Chooseapieceofscientificequipmentofinterestandwriteatechnicalsummary.Eachtechnicalsummaryshouldincludeadiagramofworkingpartsandillustrateitsuse.Inafewparagraphsexplaintheimportanceofthisequipmenttoourunderstandingofhowtheglobaloceanswork.
• CreatureFeature–Chooseamarineorganismofinterestandwriteanaturalhistorysummary.Theselectedcreaturemusthavebeenobservedfromtheshipand/orcollectedinournets.Eachfeatureshouldincludeatleastoneillustrationbasedonasketchfrommemoryoraphotographtakenbythestudentorashipmate–asopposedtocopyinganimagefromatextbook.Inafewparagraphsexplaintheimportanceofeachorganismtotheoceanecosystemwithrelevantbiological/ecologicaldetailsanddistinguishingfeaturesforidentification.
OceanographicDataReports:CaribbeanreefsareimbeddedintheglobaloceanandthuswemustunderstandhowtheglobaloceanischangingintheAnthropocene.Withafirmfoundationinoceanographyfromtheshorecomponent,studentswillnowbereadytoexploretheoceanasscientists.StudentteamswillselectanoceanographicdatasetofparticularinterestanddocumenthowthisoceancharacteristichaschangedthroughtimebycomparingobservationsmadeduringourcruiseamongtheeasternCaribbeanislandstoSEAarchiveddatacollectedonpreviousvoyages.Aconcisewrittenreportandsupportinganalysisandgraphicswillsettheoceanographicstagenecessaryforourinterpretationofthecoralreef,seagrass,and
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
mangroveresearchbeingconductedintheDirectedOceanographicResearch(DOR)orPracticalOceanographicResearch(POR)courses.Readings:
ReadingsfortheFoundationsportionofthecoursewillcomefromthreetexts:
Miller,C.B.2004.BiologicalOceanography.BlackwellScience,Oxford,UK.Nybakken,J.M.andBertness,M.2005.MarineBiology,anEcologicalApproach6thed.
BenjaminCummings,592pp.Segar,D.A.2013.IntroductiontoOceanSciences.Onlinetext,
http://www.reefimages.com/oceans/oceans.htmlReadingsfortheFocalProgramThemesportionofthecoursewillbeassignedfrom,butnotlimitedto,thefollowingsources:
Al-Abdulrazzak,D.,andTrombulak,S.2012.ClassifyinglevelsofprotectioninMarineProtectedAreas.MarinePolicy,36:576-582.
Cazenave,A.andLlovel,W.2010.Contemporarysealevelrise.Ann.Rev.MarineScience,2:145-173.
Doney,S.C.,etal.2012.Climatechangeimpactsonmarineecosystems.Ann.Rev.MarineScience,4:11-37.
Emanuel,K.,Sundararajan,R.,andWilliams,J.2008.Hurricanesandglobalwarming.Bull.Am.Met.Soc.,March2008:347-367.
Hollowed,A.B.,etal.2013.Projectedimpactsofclimatechangeonmarinefishandfisheries.ICESJour.Mar.Sci.,70:1023-1037.
Law,K.L.,etal.2010.PlasticaccumulationinthenorthAtlanticgyre.Science,329:1185-1188.Mann,M.E.,etal.2009.Atlantichurricanesandclimateoverthepast1500years.Nature,460:
880-885.Moret-Ferguson,S.,etal.2010.Thesize,mass,andcompositionofplasticdebrisinthewestern
NorthAtlantic.Mar.Poll.Bull.,60:1873-1878.Walther,G-R.,etal.2002.Ecologicalresponsetorecentclimatechange.Nature,416:389-395.Williams,R.G.,andFollows,M.J.2011.OceanDynamicsandtheCarbonCycle.Cambridge
UniversityPress,Cambridge.404pp.Worm,B.,etal.2009.Rebuildingglobalfisheries.Science,325:578-585.Zettler,E.,etal.2013.Lifeinthe‘plastisphere’:microbialcommunitiesonplasticmarinedebris.
Env.Sci.Tech.,47:7137-7146.ExpectationsandRequirements:
• Punctualattendanceisrequiredateveryclassmeeting.• Activeparticipationinclassdiscussionisexpected.
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
• Lateassignmentsubmissionsarenotaccepted.• Thepolicyonacademicaccuracy,quotedbelow,willbestrictlyfollowedinthisclass.
Thepapersthatyousubmitinthiscourseareexpectedtobeyouroriginalwork.Youmusttakecaretodistinguishyourownideasandknowledgefromwordingorsubstantiveinformationthatyouderivefromoneofyoursources.Theterm“sources”includesnotonlypublishedprimaryandsecondarymaterial,butalsoinformationandopinionsgaineddirectlyfromotherpeopleandtextthatyoucutandpastefromanysiteontheInternet. Theresponsibilityforlearningtheproperformsofcitationlieswithyou.Quotationsmustbeplacedproperlywithinquotationmarksandmustbecitedfully.Inaddition,allparaphrasedmaterialmustbeacknowledgedcompletely.Wheneverideasorfactsarederivedfromyourreadingandresearch,thesourcesmustbeindicated.(HarvardHandbookforStudents,305)
• Considerationsforuseofinternetsources:Asyoubrowsewebsites,assesstheirusefulnessverycritically.Whopostedtheinformationandwhy?Canyoutrustthemtobecorrect?Authoritative?Unbiased?(It’sokaytouseabiasedsourceaslongasyouincorporateitknowinglyandtransparentlyintoyourownwork.)Keeptrackofgoodsourcesthatmightbeusefulforsubsequentassignments,andannotateinyourbibliographyanysitesyoucite.Yourannotationshouldincludethenameoftheauthorororganizationoriginatinganymaterialthatyoureference.Ifyoucan’tidentifythesource,don’tuseit!
CourseCalendar:
Topic Readings/AssignmentsDue
Week1(8hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
IntroductiontoCaribbeanReefExpeditionprogramandTheOceanandGlobalChange(OGC);OverviewofCourseGoals&Assignments
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• OceanographicPatternsofourCruiseTrack;The
CaribbeanLandscape(withMEH)• FoundationsofChemical&PhysicalOceanography
o Salinity,Temperature,Densityo HeatBudget,AtmosphericCirculationo OceanSurfaceCirculation
MBL/WHOILibraryandWoodsHoletour
Readings:Segar,selectedchaptersMiller,selectedchaptersCruiseProspectusSSVCorwithCramervirtual
tourSelectCaribbeanRegionCaseStudyTopic
Week2(6hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• FoundationsofPhysicalOceanography(continued)
o ThermohalineCirculation• FoundationsofBiologicalOceanography
Readings:Segar,selectedchaptersMiller,selectedchaptersNybakken&Bertness,selected
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
o NutrientsandLightintheOceano PrimaryProduction–phytoplanktono SecondaryProduction–microbes&
zooplanktono FromNektontoFisheries–openocean
ecologyo TrophicCascades;ShiftingBaselineso MarineBiologicalClassification
ExplainLabset-upandTakeHomeExam
chaptersTake-homeFundamentalsExam
Week3(5hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
MarinePollutionTopics:Eutrophication,marinedebris,oceansoundscape
CaribbeanRegionCaseStudyPresentations:• EnvironmentalJustice–Eutrophication,Coastal
PollutionandTourism
Readings:Segar,selectedreadingsLawetal.(2010)Moret-Fergusonetal.(2010)Zettleretal.(2013)OtherdiscussionreadingsTBDCaseStudyDiscussionQuestionsdueinjournals
Week4(5hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
FisheriesTopics:FisheriesEcology;Stockv.Production,MaximumSustainableYield,GlobalandRegionalFisheriesTrends;EcologicalResponses
CaribbeanRegionCaseStudyPresentations:• EconomicEquity–FisheriesandOceanResource
Extraction
Readings:Segar,selectedreadingsNybakken&Bertness,selected
readingsHollowedetal.(2013)Wormetal.(2009)OtherdiscussionreadingsTBDCaseStudyDiscussionQuestionsdueinjournals
Week5(5hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
ProtectingtheMarineEnvironmentTopics:Singlevs.Multi-speciesvs.MarineAreaprotection-Motivation,ScienceandImplementation
CaribbeanRegionCaseStudyPresentations:• GeographicIdentity-IconicSpeciesandtheScience
ofMarineProtectedAreas
Readings:Al-Abdulrazzahetal.(2012)OtherdiscussionreadingsTBDCaseStudyDiscussionQuestionsdueinjournals
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
Week6(6hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
Topic:ClimateChange/WarmingOceans/EcologicalResponses
CaribbeanRegionCaseStudyPresentations:• TheAnthropocene–ClimateChangeandtheRoleof
ScienceinPolicy-making
CruiseResearchPlan/Briefing(withMEH)
Readings:CazenaveandLlovel(2010)Doneyetal.(2012)Emanueletal.(2008)Mannetal.(2009)Waltheretal.(2002)OtherdiscussionreadingsTBDCaseStudyDiscussionQuestionsdueinjournals
Week7(4hours)–atfieldstationintheU.S.VirginIslands
VisitingSpeakerswithDiscussion:VirginIslandsEnvironmentalResourceStation(VIERS),NationalParkService(NPS),U.S.GeologicalSurvey,UniversityoftheVirginIslands,etc.
Discussionquestionsdueinjournals
Week8(4hours)–atfieldstationintheU.S.VirginIslands
VisitingSpeakerswithDiscussion:U.S.FishandWildlife,St.CroixEnvironmentalAssociation,TheNatureConservancy,dive/touroperators,etc.
Discussionquestionsdueinjournals
Week9(10hours)–atsea
IntroductiontotheLabandSafetyProtocolsScienceLabWatch–BeginDataCollection
PhaseIresponsibilities(learntheskills)
Week10(10hours)–atsea
ScienceLabWatch–ContinuedDataCollection PhaseIresponsibilitiescontinue
EquipmentDiagraminjournal
Week11(10hours)–atsea
ScienceLabWatch–ContinuedDataCollection PhaseIIresponsibilities(applytheskills)
CreatureFeatureinjournal
Week12(10hours)–atsea
ShipMissionWork PhaseIIIresponsibilities(leadLabWatch)
OceanographyReportsdue