MARINE BIOLOGY
Berlin High School
Welcome to Marine Biology . The sea shore, tide pools and curiosity. You just can’t
help but look, maybe even touch, especially when you’re little. Even now, when you’re
big, standing on the shore looking out at the ocean can make you feel small. The ocean is
so big and deep. A tide pool seems more manageable.
The ocean contains many familiar and unfamiliar creatures. New forms of life are being
discovered each year as marine scientists explore deep regions of the oceans around the
world. The ocean currents and circulation distributes heat and moisture around the world
which helps maintain or change our climate. This course will introduce this science to
you. Soon you will realize that what appears to be one science ( Marine Biology )
actually is composed of various other branches of science; biology, chemistry, physics
and geology.
You live in the town of Berlin, CT which is geographically in the center of the state.
Berlin is approximately 40 miles or so from Long Island Sound and the sound is
connected to the Atlantic Ocean. Many of you have used the sound in one way or
another; swimming, boating, fishing and sight seeing, yet you know little about what
really lives there. How old is Long Island Sound? How does it work?
Every day, water from your house enters the sewers that will eventually get treated and
make its way into the Connecticut River and finally into Long Island Sound (LIS). How
does this affect the sound? We will study marine science from an ecological point of
view. You will learn about the chemistry of sea water, be introduced to some familiar and
unfamiliar animals and algae from LIS, setup and maintain a salt water aquarium, and
more. When you finish this course hopefully you will know more than when you started.
Not only will you know more about the sound you will also know more about life in the
oceans as well. So get ready to learn a lot, do a lot, and get your hands wet.
This is an elective ½ year course which will require you to keep a notebook. Your notes
will be your most important source of information which you’ll receive from me during
class lectures and discussions. In this course you will be expected to participate
especially during labs, maintaining marine aquariums, and on the Project Oceanology
field trip. Tests and quizzes are open notes. (corrected papers can’t be used during tests
or quizzes)
The following outline illustrates the topics we will cover in Marine Biology and in the
probable order of presentation. Homework, usually in the form of worksheets and a few
reports, will be due on the day given by me. Late work loses credit by 10% each day it is
late. Weekends count. Your grade in this course will be based on the following system:
General Homework
Quizzes and Tests
Labs, Marine Aquarium,
Aquarium Report, Project
Oceanology Trip and Field
Report
25%
25%
50%
American Lobster – Homarus americanus
Topics In Marine Biology I
(2007 – 2008)
I.
Introduction to Marine Biology
II.
The Chemistry of Water and Sea Water
III.
The Formation of Long Island Sound
IV.
Estuaries
V.
Ecosystems
VI.
Intertidal Ecology: The Rocky Shore
VII.
Intertidal Ecology: The Sandy Shore
VIII.
Intertidal Ecology: The Muddy Shore
IX.
Intertidal Ecology: The Salt Marsh
X.
Coral Reefs and Mangrove Forests
XI.
Deep Sea Biology
Harbor Seals – Phoca vitulina
Long Wrist Hermit Crab – Pagurus longicarpus