This course examines the evolution, ecology and diversity of the marine environment. It looks at the origin of life in the sea and the evolutionary patterns suggested by marine fossil beds. It then covers the major marine environments such as coral reefs, the deep sea floor, hydrothermal vents, the open ocean and the intertidal zones. The focus is on the diversity of plants and animals in each environment and the adaptations they have to vastly different conditions. The course also includes an introduction to oceanography: tides, water circulation, geography, physical gradients and properties of water that influence living conditions throughout the marine environment.

Assessment is based on a mid-term test, the assessment of practical work, and a final exam.

BIOL1005 or BIOL1009

BIOL2012