Syllabus
BIO 296 (3 credits)
Marine Mammal Biology
CE Study Abroad Course in Panama
UVM Summer Mon. June 1 to Mon. 15, 2015
Instructors
Laura J. May-Collado, Ph.D.
lmaycoll@uvm.edu
Instructor
Monica Gamboa-Poveda, M.Sc.
monicagamboapo@gmail.com
Pre-requisites: Undergraduate junior or senior levels. BCOR 102 or WFB 150.
Course Description: Some terrestrial mammals evolved adaptations in the past that
allowed them to move towards either a full or partial marine existence. These include
cetaceans (toothed and baleen whales), pinnipeds (seals, sea lions and walrus), sirenians
(dugongs and manatees), sea otters and the polar bear. This course will provide a strong
background to marine mammal biology and field methods in addition to
conservation/management issues affecting them. The course is primarily for advance
undergraduates but graduate and sophomores can enroll with permission of an instructor.
This is not a recreational course. Students are expected to participate in a variety of
activities lectures, field projects, and outreach activities with the community.
The course will take place in the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama. Our based is
the Bocas del Toro Marine Station of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute located
in the main island, Isla Colon. The station provides unique access to students and
scientists to a diversity of aquatic organisms and marine ecosystems. Students are also
expected to participate in outreach activities on sustainable dolphin watching with the
local indigenous communities and tour operators.
Course learning objectives:
The first week of the course students will learn about the evolutionary history of marine
mammals, physiological and anatomical adaptations to aquatic systems, and their
ecology. They will also participate in a workshop on field monitoring data collection:
sighting information, estimation of group size, behavior, and photo-identification (a
photographic technique use to identify individuals). Lectures and workshops are
scheduled for late afternoon and nighttime. During the day students will be participating
in boat surveys collecting data for their independent field projects. During the second
week we will focus our attention to behavior, acoustic communication, and conservation
of marine mammals. Students will continue to collect data for their independent projects.
Students will learn and practice scientific inquiry by conceiving a question and designing
and implementing a method (s) to answer their question. Students will report the results
of their study following scientific conference settings.
Week 1-During the first week students will learn about marine mammal systematics and
evolution, physiology and morphological adaptations to aquatic systems, and movement,
migration, and habitat use. In addition, they will be introduced to field data collection
and initiate their independent group projects.
Week 2-During this second week students will lean about marine mammal behavior,
specifically foraging adaptations, prey-predator interactions, acoustic communication and
social behavior, life history, and population genetics. They will continue with their
independent field project, which will culminate oral presentation of their results.
Course Itinerary:
Date
Wed. June 1
Thu. June 2
Morning
Travel individually
to Bocas del Toro
Introduction: The
Bocas Dolphin
Project.
Lecture 1:
Systematics and
evolution
Afternoon
Workshop on field
methods and
preparation of field
equipment
Night
Dinner and
Orientation
Lecture 3:
Movement,
Migration, and
Habitat Use
Data Entry
Assignment of
independent group
projects
Lecture 2: structure
and locomotion,
thermoregulation
and
osmorregulation
Fri. June 3
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Sat. June 4
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Sun. June 5
Boat-Surveys
MidTerm due @ 5
p.m.
Mon. June 6
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Tue. June 7
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Lecture 4: Diet and
Foraging
adaptations, diving
physiology
Data Entry
Lecture 5: Sensory
systems
Data Entry
Lecture 6: Sound
production and
communication
Data Entry
Lecture 7:
Reproduction, life
history, and mating
systems
Lecture 8: Social
behavior
Wed. June 8
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Thu. June 9
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Fri. June 10
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Sat. June 11
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Sun. June 12
Boat-Surveys
Boat-Surveys
Mon. June 13
Work on Oral and
written papers
Final Exam due @
1p.m.
Back home
Work on Oral and
written papers
Packing up
Tue. June 14
Wed. June 15
Lecture 9:
Population biology
and genetics
Data analysis meet
with instructors
Lecture 10: Threats
and Conservation
Data analysis meet
with instructors
Workshop:
Statistical analysis
(bring your data)
Data analysis meet
with instructors
Data analysis meet
with instructors
Presentations
Farewell dinner
Grading
Midterm exam: 25%
Final exam: 25%
Independent Field Project: (25% field work, 10% oral, 15% written paper).
Student Behavior:
Students are expected to comply with UVM Code of Academic Integrity and the rules of
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Students are required to participate in all course
activities. No drug or alcohol is allowed in this course.
Recommended Books:
Reynolds J. E. and Rommel, S. A. 2013. Biology of Marine Mammals. Smithsonian
Press. (available in kindle).
Instructors Bios:
Laura J. May-Collado: Native of Costa Rica. She has over 16 years of experience
working with vertebrates including bats, birds, fish, and marine mammals. She earned her
master’s degree at University of Costa Rica and her Ph.D. at Florida International
University. She is currently a Research Associate at the University of Vermont in the
Department of Biology, and has coordinated Field Biology courses for OTS in the past.
Monica Gamboa-Poveda: She is American/Costa Rican that has work with dolphins, sea
turtles, and marine invertebrates for over 10 years. She earned her master’s degree at
Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica. She is currently an associated research to
Panacetacea.org and organization dedicated to the study and conservation of marine
mammals in Panama.