Biology 208: Field Based Marine Biology
Clark College
Instructors: Rebecca Martin
APH 203K
992-2507
Rmartin@clark.edu
Steven Clark
APH 203F
992-2203
Sclark@clark.edu
Office Hours: T TH 10:30-12:30
F 11-12
M 11-4
Web site: http://web.clark.edu/rmartin/
Course Description
This 3 credit course is designed to introduce the concepts of marine ecology in the Pacific
Northwest through a field based experience. The course involves weekly meetings for 5
weeks and a three day field trip to the Oregon coast. It is the intent of the course to
provide field based opportunities to study the marine environment supported by some
class time, readings and student projects. Therefore, success in the course will require your
preparation and participation. The dynamic nature of marine systems will provide learning
opportunities for all of us. You will periodically be in the role of instructor as well as learner
as will we. The 208 course fulfills 3 credits of the science distribution requirement at Clark
and is comprised of 1 lecture credit and 2 lab credits. We will meet in APH 210 from 12-2 on
Fridays from Jan 6-Feb 10 and will travel to Newport, OR on Friday Feb. 3-Sunday Feb. 5.
Assignments
In Class Activities (20 points total): Class will include activities which require your
participation and may have pages that need to be turned in. You will receive points for
your completion of these activities. Please be prepared by bringing blank paper, your
books, and a calculator with you each week.
Homework (20 points total): You will be assigned homework activities including reading
questions each week. You should complete all questions. We will randomly select
questions to evaluate each week and will award a total of 20 points during the term (4-5
points per assignment) for your responses based on completeness and quality. Questions
will be posted on the web site and responses are due at the beginning of class.
Field Log (20 points): During the field trip you will be asked to keep a field log that will
involve data collected at the field site and a record of organisms you have identified. You
should bring a notebook and pencil with you. You will receive points for the accurate and
full completion of each log assignment. The first few log entries will be due Friday evening
of the field trip with the remainder due at the end of the trip. More details on the log
entries will be provided.
Field Survey Forms (20 points): Data collection forms and questions will be given to you to
complete during the trip at our field sites. These will be awarded points based on quality of
responses and completeness. Due at the end of the trip.
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BIOL 208
Latin roots (5 points): We will provide a list of Latin root words that are commonly found in
the scientific names of marine organisms and will help you in your identification of
organisms. Before the trip, we will offer a short 5 point quiz to test your knowledge of the
root words.
Essays (15 points each): Following the field trip, you will complete 2 essays about intertidal
habitats we will visit during our field trip. The questions are designed to help you synthesize
our observations from the trip and your course readings. This assignment is explained at the
end of the syllabus.
Marine communities paper (20 points): You will synthesize your learning for the course by
writing a final 3-4 page paper on one habitat type and the organisms present there. You
will also pose an experiment you could use to study this environment. This assignment is
explained at the end of the syllabus.
Attendance: Our class only meets once per week and your attendance is important. In
order to receive credit for in class activities and assignments that are due you must be in
class. Assignments are due when we ask for them in class. Late assignments will not be
accepted.
Grading
Course grading will consist of the total points you have earned divided by the total points
possible to calculate a percentage for your final grade. It is possible there may be some
changes to the course requirements as the course progresses but these will be provided in
writing to you if assignments change. This course is graded A-F.
In Class Activities
20 points
Reading Homework
20 points
Field Log
20 points
Field Survey Forms
20 points
Latin roots
5 points
Essays (15 points each)
30 points
Marine Communities Paper
20 points
Total points possible
135
Grade
A
AB+
B
B-
Percentage
92% to 100%
90% to 91.9%
88% to 89.9%
82% to 87.9%
80% to 81.9%
Grade
C+
C
D
F
Percentage
77% to 79.9%
70% to 76.9%
60% to 69.9%
Below 59.9%
Clark College Abilities & Course Outcomes
The college and community have targeted six ability areas that are intended to assist
students apply their learning throughout the curriculum. These six abilities include
communication, global/multicultural perspectives, critical thinking and problem solving,
information/technology, effective citizenship, and life-long learning. Biology 208 will touch
on all of these abilities throughout the term. Our emphasis will be on communication and
life-long learning. Communication is defined by the college as, “the ability to understand
and deliver written, spoken, and visual communications clearly and accurately.” We will
address the communication ability through our course discussions, presentations and
written assignments.
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BIOL 208
Our second area of emphasis, life-long learning, is defined as the ability to set and revise
goals, access resources and assume responsibility for one’s own learning. Our work in the
field will develop these skills.
Student Learning Outcomes
Explain/define verbally and in writing the basic
principles of marine biology specific to the Northwest
coast.
Assessment
Method
Papers
Field log
Use the scientific method to answer questions relating
to marine biology. Develop skills in identification of
marine organisms.
Field trip log
Class
activities
Research information relevant to regional marine
ecology. Design questions and experiments about
marine habitats
Papers
Class
activities
General Science
Outcome
Demonstrate
comprehension of
fundamental
principles and
relationships in the
natural sciences
Analyze issues,
claims, and
situations using
scientific
methodology
Acquire scientific
information from
appropriate sources
Communicate
concepts and issues
in the natural
sciences
Required Text
Kozloff, E. 1983. Seashore life of the Northern Pacific Coast. University of
Washington Press.
Sept, J.D. 1999. The beachcomber’s guide to seashore life in the Pacific Northwest.
Harbour Publishing.
Class Participation & Conduct
Students are expected to attend class and be active participants. Attendance and
participation is critical to your success during the quarter. If you are absent or late, you are
still responsible for the material missed. All assignments must be turned in on time to receive
credit. We reserve the right to adjust this policy in the case of individual personal
circumstances.
It is expected that all members of this class will follow the Clark College student code of
conduct while in class and while representing the college in the community. This includes
academic honesty and no plagiarism or cheating. Violation of these guidelines may result
in an F for the course and will always result in no credit for the assignment. In addition, cell
phones and pagers should be turned off during class unless they are serving as emergency
contact numbers for your dependents (they should have the sound turned off). No
headphones are allowed in class.
Our field trip requires your compliance with the student code of conduct for an extended
period of time. You will be expected to refrain from consumption of alcohol. Tobacco is
not allowed in the van and may only be used in designated places during breaks. No
illegal activities will be permitted and will result in the student leaving the course and being
required to return home at the student’s expense. Students must also comply with any
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BIOL 208
additional regulations imposed by the Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State
University regarding use of their facilities.
We will be living and cooking together for three days. Please be respectful of others in your
conduct and comments. Everyone will participate in cleaning and cooking responsibilities.
Our field trip will involve some hiking and moving over wet rocks and boulders. Please bring
appropriate footwear and clothing as well as extra clothing and be prepared for these
physical conditions.
We will take photographs on the trip and may use them in the future on our web pages
and to promote the class at Clark. If you do not wish to be photographed, please let us
know.
Support Services
If you will need special accommodation for this course please speak with us as soon as
possible. Support services for students are available at the college including tutoring
(2253), counseling and health (2264), support for students with learning and physical
disabilities (2580), and computer access (2562).
Please note that this syllabus is subject to change during the term with written notice from
the instructors.
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BIOL 208
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Lecture topics
Day
Week
Jan 6
Jan 13
F
F
Reading (complete before class)
Intro to course
Following class read Kozloff 7-15
Intro to NW oceanography & organisms
(Read syllabus)
Biology principles in marine environments
Read Kozloff Ch 2 pg 16-42
Intro to marine ecology
Jan 20
F
Rocky intertidal areas
Read Kozloff Ch 5 pg 198-258
Jan 27
F
Estuaries and sandy beaches
Read part of Kozloff Ch 7 – select 4 of the
sections on different organisms to read
Final logistics
Read Kozloff Ch 6 pg 258-268
Feb 3-5
Fri
Meet at 8:30 am by college vans just south of
Scarpelli Hall
Sun
Return to Clark by 5 pm
Feb 10
F
Debrief from trip
Feb 23
Th
Final essays & paper due in one of our boxes
“R.Martin” or “Clark” in APH 203 by 3 pm
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Field log & survey forms due on arrival at
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BIOL 208
Marine Biology 208
Due Feb 23rd at 3 pm in APH 203
Field Trip Essay Questions (15 points each)
Please respond to one essay question from each category listed below. Each essay should
be a separate paper, approximately 2 double spaced, typed pages in length.
Be sure to cite your sources both in the paper and at the end in a reference list. The use of
information from your course texts along with concepts from our weekly class is required.
After our field experiences we may add essay question options to this list.
Intertidal Habitats (select one)
1. What are the intertidal zones found along the Oregon Coast? What are the dominant
species you observed in each habitat type?
2. Which Oregon Coast habitats contain zonation patterns and what are the main
factors that influence this zonation?
Estuaries (select one)
1. Describe the abiotic factors unique to Yaquina Bay or the Salmon River estuary.
What are some of the indications that this is a highly productive area for marine
organisms.
2. Include a list of the organisms you identified in Yaquina Bay or the Salmon River
Estuary. Select two of those organisms and describe what adaptations they must
have to survive in this region.
Marine Communities Paper (20 points)
Using your identification list from your field log, select one community of organisms in a
specific habitat to describe in a short paper (write about a community different from any
other essays you’ve already answered). Describe the habitat (1 paragraph), the organisms
present and how they were interacting (2 paragraphs) based upon the field experience.
Then research at least two of the organisms and describe them in more detail including their
biology and their role in the habitat (1 page). Formulate an experiment with an hypothesis
that you could test in the habitat to learn more about how these two organisms relate to each
other (1 page).
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Equipment to bring
Warm clothing
Rain gear (jacket and pants ideal)
Knee boots or waterproof boots or spare shoes
Extra socks to keep your feet dry
Binoculars
Course texts and any other guides you wish
Sleeping bag & pillow
Towel
Camera
Pencils and notebook
Any snacks you wish
Sack lunch for Friday
Incidental money
We will be staying in the bunkhouses at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. These are
basic accommodations meaning there will be a bunkbed with a mattress for you (no sheets). The women and
men will have separate quarters and each bunkhouse has an individual restroom and shower room. We will be
eating and cooking together in the dining hall.
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