Marine Biodiversity and Stewardship

This unit examines marine species diversity, physiological and behavioral adaptations, and the physical processes that shape ocean habitats, with emphasis on human interactions and stewardship. Students investigate threats, sustainable uses (tourism, recreation, pharmaceuticals), and practical conservation actions they can apply in local watersheds and communities.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze morphological, behavioral, and ecological adaptations of a range of marine organisms (e.g., sea snakes, cone snails, jellies, seabirds, deep‑sea fauna) and explain how these adaptations support survival across different ocean environments.
• Evaluate human impacts on marine ecosystems — including pollution, overexploitation, tourism, and watershed degradation — and propose evidence‑based mitigation and policy or personal action strategies.
• Apply principles of physical oceanography and ecology (salinity, sea level change, polar conditions, waterspouts, migration patterns, and deep‑sea extremes) to predict species distributions and ecosystem responses to environmental change.
• Demonstrate safe, ethical, and economically sustainable practices by designing an outreach, recreation, or conservation plan that protects local marine resources and engages community or organizational support.