In a three-week course involving lectures, hands on laboratory experiments, and close interaction between the student and instructor, we will discuss how the biology, ecology, habitat, and morphology are important for the continuance of life in the great blue ocean. Initially, we will examine the importance of nutrients and sun-light on the growth and survival of microscopic plankton, and how these factors determine the abundance and distribution of various planktonic species. Our journey will then take us into the exciting world of fish biology. There we will discuss the unique characteristics of numerous fish species and the role they play in habitat selection, food preference, and ultimately anatomy and locomotion. We will conclude by discussing sharks, cartilagenous fish, which have remained relatively unchanged through hundreds of millions of years of evolution.
Sharks are critical keystone predators that continue to maintain the balance of our fragile oceans.
For these reasons we must learn to protect and respect these poorly understood and much maligned creatures. Through the use of dissections and viewing numerous preserved animals, supplemented with short informative lectures and discussions, our goal is to provide a more thorough understanding of the dynamic interaction between all forms of life in our Ocean. These unique and majestic environments have been the source of considerable insights into processes affecting community structure and ecology of sub-tidal habitats. This course will address both physical and biological aspects of the marine environment with special emphasis placed on relating parameters to the distribution and abundance of marine organisms within southern California's kelp forests. The course will focus on the form and function, ecology, evolution, and behavior of southern California fish species, as well as provide an introduction to various invertebrate and alga species.