Marine Biology MAR111 Prof. Nancy Black Lecture: Tu & Th 6:00 7:25 pm Lab: Tu 7:40 9:40 pm Required books/materials: Marine Biology, 9th edition, Peter Castro and Michael E. Huber. McGraw-Hill Higher Education (recent older editions are OK) Gloves for dissections. Field Trips: North Shore Stony Brook Harbor South Shore Cupsogue Beach ($5) Grading: 1000 points total: Lecture = 60% 3 lecture midterm exams (200 points each) drop lowest midterm exam grade = 400 points cumulative final exam = 200 points Lab = 40% midterm quiz = 50 pts practical final exam = 100 pts 10 lab assignments X 15 pts each (drop lowest lab) = 135 pts 2 field trips X 50 pts each = 100 pts overall attendance / participation = 15 pts Printing Powerpoint Slides 2-3 per vertical page (3 gives lines for notes) 4 per horizontal page write in margins Marine Biology The study of the organisms that live in the sea Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Observe, describe Coral reef Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Observe, describe Stony corals Animal polyps have algae cells inside Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Observe, describe Corals once green and brown are now white Water temperatures were 30C (86F) or more for several weeks Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Ask questions Why did the corals turn white? Did the warm temperatures cause the problem? Pollution? Salinity changes? UV? Is it permanent or will the coral recover? Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Choose one question to address, then create a hypothesis The prolonged warm water temperatures caused the bleachingAFP/Queensland University/File/Ove Hoegh-Guidberg Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Conduct a controlled experiment to test the hypothesis Collect some identical corals Place some in normal temperature water and others in warmer water Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Experiment results, statistics Corals in lab held in the warmer water bleached after several weeks while those in the control water did not Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method If confirmed, then more tests of the hypothesis Experiment must be repeatable Test other species, temperatures, time frames If not, then test an alternative hypothesis Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method Theory After the hypothesis has passed extensive testing and is accepted as true, it may be considered a theory Explanation supported by evidence Beware of misuse (scientific theory is not a guess, thats a hypothesis) Tools of Marine Biology Scientific Method