MARINE INVERTEBRATE ECOLOGY
Summer, 2016
Instructors:
Email:
Phone:
Dr. Zack Darnell
zachary.darnell@nicholls.edu
(270) 991-7289
Dr. Kelly Darnell
kdarnell@thewaterinstitute.org
(270) 991-7259
Class meetings:
5/30/16–6/17/16, Monday through Friday: 3–4 hours of lecture and discussion per day, 4–5 hours of lab and field
activities per day.
Required text: None, see Moodle for assigned readings.
Course description:
In-depth study of the interaction between marine and estuarine invertebrates and their environment. Emphasis will
be placed on understanding the functional role of invertebrates and how the environment shapes morphology,
physiology, and behavior.
Group research projects: The second half of this course consists in large part of group research projects,
conducted by groups of 2–3 students. Research projects should be hypothesis-driven, and can include a mix of
experimental and observational approaches in the field and in the lab.
Class grading:
Species presentation (10%): Each student will choose a common invertebrate species from the Louisiana coast and
give a short (10 min) presentation on that species at the end of week 1.
Exam (30%): There will be an exam on Monday of the 2nd week and will include material covered in lecture, during
discussions, and during lab and field activities. Format will be multiple choice, fill in the blanks, and short answer.
Research plan (15%): Prior to beginning group research projects, students will submit a 1-page research plan
including a title, hypothesis, methods, and list of materials needed.
Group project presentation (30%): At the conclusion of the term, each group will give a 15-min presentation on
their research projects.
Lab/field notebook (15%): Each student is required to have a field notebook to record data (e.g., date and time,
water quality, sampling site descriptions, weather conditions) and species collected from each field trip and species
identified in the lab. Field notebooks will be graded at the end of each week.
Grading scale (all grades rounded to nearest integer, no exceptions):
A
90–100
D
60–69
B
80–89
F
<60
C
70–79
Page 1 of 2
Updated April 27, 2016
Lecture and Lab schedule (subject to change):
Date
Day Morning (8–12)
Course introduction
5/30
M
Invertebrate diversity, life histories,
and habitats
Afternoon (1–4)
Terrebonne Bay field trip
on R/V Acadiana
5/31
T
Salt marsh walking field trip
Worms: Platyhelminths,
Nemerteans, Annelids
Molluscs
6/1
W
Barrier island field trip
Arthropods
Species interactions:
abiotic and biotic
(competition, predation,
parasitism, mutualism,
commensalism, etc.)
Species presentations
Field notebooks due
Discussion of hypothesisdriven research and
experimental design
6/2
R
Salt marsh by boat field trip
6/3
F
Population and community ecology
6/6
M
Exam
6/7
T
R/V Pelican trip offshore
R/V Pelican trip offshore
6/8
W
R/V Pelican trip offshore
Research plan due
6/9
R
Group projects
Group projects
6/10
F
Group projects
Group projects
Field notebooks due
6/13
M
Group projects
Group projects
6/14
T
Group projects
Group projects
6/15
W
Group projects
Group projects
6/16
R
Data entry and analysis
Prep time for presentations
6/17
F
Prep time for presentations
Group presentations
Evening (7–9)
Sponges,
Cnidarians,
Ctenophores
Molluscs
(continued)
Brachiopods,
Bryozoans
Deuterostomes:
Echinoderms,
Hemichordates,
Chordates
Reproduction,
dispersal, and
migration
Project
brainstorming
Library research
R/V Pelican trip
offshore
Discussion: writing
and presenting
your research
Discussion: data
analysis and basic
statisics
Data entry and
analysis
Field notebooks
due
Late Assignments
Assignments turned in late will incur a 10% penalty per day (including weekends). For example, an assignment due
on Thursday and turned in on Friday would be eligible for a maximum grade of 90%. Assignments turned in on the
due date but after the specified time will be considered 1 day late.
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Updated April 27, 2016