Tulsa Community College, SE Campus
COURSE SYLLABUS
BIO 2144-301
MARINE BIOLOGY
Instructor: Daryl Richter
Assistant Professor of Biology
Office: SE 8283
Phone: 595-7735
Email: drichter@tulsacc.edu
Lecture: MW 9:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. SE 8277
Laboratory: W 11:00 a.m. - 1:50 p.m. SE 8282
Science and Math Division
Associate Dean: Lyn Kent
Office: SE 8125 Phone: 595-7742
COURSE PREREQUISITE: Oceanography (GEO 2113), General Biology (BIO 1114), or the equivalent.
TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER MATERIALS:
Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach, Sixth Edition, James W. Nybakken, Benjamin Cummings
Publishing
There will be handouts and a lab manual provided by the instructor.
You will need colored pencils and a loose leaf three-ringed binder for labs.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The nature of biological life-forms throughout the oceans, their interrelationships, and ecology will be explored.
The course will take an in-depth look at the marine flora and fauna. The morphology and physiology of the
major phyla comprising the marine organisms will be investigated. Interrelationships of the marine organisms
to the major oceanic divisions’ geological, physical, and chemical characteristics will be studied. An ecological
approach to the relationships among organisms will be used.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. To develop an awareness and understanding of marine biology, its principles and
theories.
2. To comprehend oceanographic principles and their relationship to marine organisms.
3. To become knowledgeable of how the physical nature of the water masses affects the
marine life-forms.
4. To understand the chemical requirements and the Ecological interrelationships of
marine organisms.
5. To examine the diversity of the various kingdoms in the oceans
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Students will be expected to take notes on the material covered by the instructor (not all material is covered in
the text). The student is also expected to participate in all classroom discussions and to complete any assigned
worksheets, problems, and writing assignments. The student will have regular reading assignments from the
textbook and is expected to have completed these readings prior to attending class.
TEACHING METHODS:
The course will be taught by a combination of lectures and student participatory activities in the laboratory.
The lectures and lab sessions will be supplemented by slides, films, and other visual materials to aid in the
comprehension of concepts and knowledge-based information.
ATTENDANCE:
Students are expected to be in attendance at all lectures and labs. Material covered in the lectures WILL NOT
always be covered in the textbook. The student is responsible for all material and announcements made during
the class. Information missed must be obtained from classmates not the instructor. There are no makeups for missed lab sessions.
EVALUATION METHOD:
There will be three lecture exams, plus a comprehensive final exam, used to evaluate the level of understanding
of lecture material. Laboratory work write-ups will be graded as well as lab quizzes given to test
comprehension. A research paper is required on a topic of your choice.
The final course grade will be figured as follows:
Lecture Exams (3)
- 300 points
Comprehensive Final Exam - 200 points
Laboratory Assignments
- 200 points
Research paper
- 200 points
Attendance/Participation
- 100 points
Final Grade - Percent of
-1000 points
Grades will be assigned according to the following:
A = 900 -1000 points, B = 800 - 899 points,
C = 700-799 points, D = 600 - 699 points,
F = below 600.
Class exams may be made up ONLY
if notification is made to the
instructor prior to the test date.
Make-up exams MUST BE completed
prior to the next lecture class.
Failure to do the above will
result in a zero (0) exam grade.
COURSE WITHDRAWAL: The deadline to withdraw from
a course shall not exceed 3/4 the duration of any class.
Contact the Counseling Office at any TCC campus to initiate
withdrawal from a course (“W” grade) or to change from
Credit to Audit. Check the TCC Academic Calendar for
deadlines. Students who stop participating in the course and
fail to withdraw may receive a course grade of “F,” which
may have financial aid consequences for the student.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Email communications: All TCC students receive a designated “MyTCC” email address: (ex.
dan.doe@mail.tulsacc.edu). All communications to you about TCC and course assignments will be sent to
your MyTCC email address; and you must use MyTCC email to send email to, and receive email from, the
instructor regarding this course. All announcements, and assignment changes will be on Blackboard.
Inclement Weather: TCC rarely closes. If extreme weather conditions or emergency situations arise, TCC
always gives cancellation notices to radio and television stations. This information is also posted on the
TCC website (www.tulsacc.edu).
GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS: General Education courses at TCC ensure that our graduates gain skills,
knowledge, and abilities that comprise a common foundation for their higher education and a backdrop for their
work and personal lives. TCC’s General Education goals are: Critical Thinking, Effective Communication,
Engaged Learning, and Technological Proficiency.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: Open and mutually respectful communication of varied opinions, beliefs, and
perspectives during classroom or online discussion encourages the free exchange of ideas that is essential to
higher learning and to the ability to learn from each other. Use of any electronic device is at the discretion of
the instructor.
SYLLABUS CHANGES: Occasionally, changes to the syllabus may be necessary. Students will be notified
of any changes to the syllabus in writing.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: TCC provides accommodations for qualifying students in compliance
with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For information, students may contact the disabled Student Resource
Center, 918-595-7115, or the Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 918-595-7428V, 918-5957434TTY.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Academic dishonesty (cheating) is defined as the deception of others about
one’s own work or about the work of another. Academic dishonesty or misconduct is not condoned or tolerated
at campuses within the Tulsa Community College system. Tulsa Community College adopts a policy delegating
certain forms of authority for disciplinary action to the faculty. Such disciplinary actions delegated to the
faculty include, but are not limited to, the dismissal of disrespectful or disorderly students from classes. In the
case of academic dishonesty a faculty member may:

require the student to redo an assignment or test, or require the student to complete a substitute
assignment or test;

Record a "zero" for the assignment or test in question;

Recommend to the student that the student withdraw from the class, or administratively withdraw the
student from the class;

Record a grade of "F" for the student at the end of the semester.
Faculty may request that disciplinary action be taken against a student at the administrative level by submitting
such request to the Dean of Student Services.
PLAGIARISM POLICY:
Plagiarism is claiming, indicating, or implying that the ideas, sentences, or words of another writer are your
own; it includes having another writer do work claimed to be your own copying the work of another and
presenting it as your own, or following the work of another as a guide to ideas and expression that are then
presented as your own. The student should review the relevant sections of the TCC Student Code of Conduct
Policy Handbook. Plagiarism will be treated as cheating and work will be given a grade of zero.
INSTITUTIONAL STATEMENT: Each student is responsible for being aware of the information contained
in the TCC Catalog, TCC Student Handbook, Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook, and semester
information listed in the class schedule. All information may be viewed on the TCC website: www.tulsacc.edu
COMPUTER SERVICES ACCEPTABLE USE:
Access to computing resources is a privilege granted to all TCC faculty, staff, and students. Use of TCC
computing resources is limited to purposes related to the College's mission of education, research, and
community service. Student use of technology is governed by the Computer Services Acceptable Use
Statements/Standards found in the TCC Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook. These handbooks may
be obtained by contacting any Student Activities or Dean of Student Services office.
Marine Biology: Tentative Lecture Schedule
Week of Topic(s) to be Covered
Readings
Jan. 10
Introduction to the Marine Environment
Chap. 1
Oceanography for the Marine Biologist
Jan. 17
No Class Monday – MLK Day
Fundamentals of Marine Ecology
Jan. 24
Plankton and Plankton Communities
The Phytoplankton/Zooplankton
Jan. 31
Primary Production
Factors Affecting Primary Productivity
Feb. 07
Exam #1 Monday Feb. 8th
Oceanic Nektons: The Fishes
Feb. 14
Feb. 21
The Fishes (continued)
Shallow Water Sub-tidal Benethic Associations
Multi-cellular Producers: Algae & Angiosperms
Chap. 2
Chap. 3
Chap. 5
Rocky Sub-tidal, Kelp Forests, and Seagrass Communities
Feb. 28
Intertidal Ecology
Conditions and Adaptations
Rocky, Sandy, and Muddy Shores
Mar. 07
Intertidal Ecology - (continued)
Exam #2 Wednesday March 9th
Mar. 14
SPRING BREAK
Mar. 21
Estuaries and Salt Marshes
Types and Characteristics
Biota and Adaptations
Ecology of Estuaries
Salt Marshes
Chap. 8
Apr. 04
Tropical Communities
Coral Reefs
Chap. 9
Apr. 11
Coral Reefs/ Mangroves
Symbiotic Relationships
Mar. 28
Apr. 18
Symbiotic Relationships
Exam #3 Wednesday April 20th
Apr. 25
Human Impact
May 02
Final Exam
Chap. 6
Chap. 10
Research Paper – Weds. 13th
Marine Biology: Tentative Laboratory Schedule
Laboratory exercises and quizzes CANNOT be made up.
Week of
Laboratory
Readings
Jan. 10
Introduction to the Lab and Movie
Jan. 17
Composition of Seawater
Sedimentation
Lab. #1
Jan. 24
Marine Biomes
Ecological Principles
Lab. #2
Jan. 31
Marine Microorganisms
Phytoplankton/Zooplankton
Productivity Studies
Lab. #3
Feb. 07
The Marine Fishes
Cartilaginous and Boney Fishes
Lab. #4
Feb. 14
Marine Multi-cellular Producers
The Seaweeds (Algae)
Marine Plants (Angiophyta)
Lab. #5
Feb. 21
Marine Movie Lab
Lab. #6
Feb. 28
The Marine Worms
Lab. #7
Mar. 07
Phyla Mollusca
Lab. #8
Mar. 14
Spring Break
Mar. 21
Phyla Echinodermata
Echinoderm Locomotion
Lab. #9
Mar. 28
Phyla Arthropoda
Lab. #10
Apr. 04
Phyla Porifera: the Sponges
Structure and Physiology
Lab. #11
Apr. 11
Phyla Cnidaria and Ctenophora
Lab. #12
Apr. 18
Aquarium Trip
Apr. 25
Marine Movie Lab
May 02
No Lab - Finals Week
Lab #13