Marine Biology Laboratory SYLLABUS

Fall 2009

INSTRUCTOR:  Elzbet Diaz de Leon


OFFICE LOCATION:

SCI 347 (shared )

OFFICE HOURS:

By appointment

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

elzbet@vcccd.edu    (always type vcbio in subject to avoid being rejected by junk mail filter)

MAILBOX:

 Math & Science office (NOT in admin Bldg) Just give it to a staff person; they can even date-stamp item for you.

INSTRUCTOR WEB PAGE:

academic.venturacollege.edu/people/elzbet

CLASS HOURS:

11:30 - 12:50 Mon, Wed

CLASS CRN:

BIOL 029L    70931

PREREQUISITE(S):

none


A. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course includes laboratory and field studies to illustrate the ecology and natural history of local marine organisms.

 

B. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION

We will divide our time between field work and laboratory work. You will also use computers for some of your assignments. Often you will work in groups. You will frequently be expected to follow written and oral instructions carefully. Most field trips have prior assignments which you are required to do at home in preparation and turn in when you arrive at the field site.

Class will not always meet on the main campus.  We sometimes meet at a beach or elsewhere off campus.  Check your schedule carefully every week!

FIELD WORK

Field work requires warm layered clothing which will be gotten wet & muddy, a hat, sunscreen, and shoes (no flip-flops: they are not safe).  A trip to a thrift store can provide appropriate field togs if you don't have them.  REMEMBER YOUR CLIP BOARDS.

You are responsible for your own transportation.  You are responsible for your own safety and for your belongings.

You are prohibited from collecting or molesting organisms except as expressly instructed.  (Littering is obviously forbidden.)

If you have any disabilities or health problems, which may interfere with intertidal work please, discuss them with your doctor and with me so we can make appropriate accommodations.

Alcohol and other recreational drugs are inappropriate during field work.

BE ALERT FOR OTHER DIRECTIONS & CAUTIONS FROM ME AT ALL TIMES.

 

Please don't drop without talking to me.  Often things are not as grim as you may fear.  But if you do drop, don't miss the deadlines printed in the college schedule.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

.

As a result of this class you will be able to:

1.    Utilize interpretive tools and identify local marine communities and their dominant members.

2.    Create hypotheses, design experiments, collect data, and interpret results.

3. Recognize the impacts of human activities on the marine environment and describe various local study and mitigation efforts.

 

E. TEXTBOOK   Text= I provide the lab manual as a free online manual which you can download from my web page, you only have to buy the little blue field guide. Some of the material is on the internet so you might want to download it onto a flash drive for easy acccess to the referenced web pages. other pages you will need to print out for use in class or to turn in. There are other fields guides available in the bookstore which are optional. 

Supplies: You will need a clipboard.  Bring it every week.  You will also need a hand towel.  On the days we meet in the classroom you will need a flash drive (USB).

 

F. GRADING PLAN

      Grading:  90% = A   80% = B   70% = C   60% = D

100 pts = attendance & participation  (Absences can't be made-up)

80 = lab reports and quizzes(If you are absent for the lab make an appointment to make up the lab report when possible. It won’t always be possible.) If you are late to class and miss a quiz there is no make up.

20 pts = Oral report on a Marine Environmental Issue

 

 

G. COURSE COMPONENT SPECIFICS

The oral report on a marine environmental issue should be 5-7 minutes long and requires a minimum of 3 references. Only one of these can be from a general publication such as Time, Newsweek or a newspaper.  Only one can be from the internet. The rest should be from more specialized periodicals, such as Oceanus, Sea Frontiers, an environmental magazine or a journal. You must be prepared to turn in your notes. You must turn in a typed bibliography and abstract.

 

This class involves a two-day trip to the  San Luis Obispo area. If you have schedule problems that can't be solved for the weekend trip talk to me and we'll work out an alternative assignment. 

 

H. CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT

 

. Cell phones and MP3 players are not to be used during class.  Please be aware that plagiarism on assignments is an offense which can result in suspension from college and be noted on your permanent records.  Tolerating cheating by your peers hurts your grade by raising curves and instructor expectations.  ‘Nuff said!

 

I. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

1.    Emergency: Dial #9 from any campus pay phone.

2.    on campus phones: 9-911

3.    School nurse: x6346 on duty during the day. When the Student Health center is closed called 642-7000. First Aid is available from Campus Police then. All student injuries should be reported to Student Health and a written report filed for insurance purposes.  Forms are available from the Student Health Center, Campus Police or Evening Dean.

4.    Campus security:  off campus (cell phones) 642-7000

5.    Campus police non-emergency number x6486

 

K. PLANNED SCHEDULE (note: this can change at any time)

 

 

Notice that we often meet off campus. Make sure you have arranged transportation and how to find the meeting sites prior to the day of the lab. You are responsible for locating the field sites.  The GPS data are from Google Earth. Take them as estimates and don’t trust them over common sense. Bring your clipboard and hand towel to all class meetings. Wear field clothing and reliable shoes.  You may want a change of clothes and a bag for wet/muddy/sandy items.

 

Date              topic            

 

8/19        Using a Dichotomous Key

8/26        Fouling Community

9/2         Animal Behavior

9/9         Algae & Invertebrate overview—bring completed invertebrate assignment.

9/16        Ventura Harbor :Meet in the end parking lot off Spinnaker, across from the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center.  Dress to get wet.

9/23        Streamteam : Meet at Surfrider, 239 W. Main St, Ventura Guest speaker. Expect to wade in river.

9/30        TBA

10/7        Ormond Beach: Meet at the south end of Perkins Rd, Oxnard. Bring binoculars if possible. Nancy Pedersen Guest speaker

10/14       Sandy Beach: Meet at Faria Beach, at the cove just past the Faria Beach sign on the old coast highway NW of Ventura, in the direction of “State Beaches”.  It is near a small RR bridge over a gully. You will be knelling in surf and getting totally wet. (34 19’16”N, 11022’32”W)

10/17&18 weekend field trip

Rocky intertidal:12:30pm Sat 10/17 Meet at Hazard Canyon parking lot in Montana de Oro State Park. Dress for wet, slippery, and very cold. Bring clip boards and field guides.

(3517’07”N,12052’52”W) 7:30 evening campfire program. at Spooner’s Campground.

Mudflats: 1:30pm Sun 10/18 Meet at Morro Bay State Park Marina parking lot.  Dress for mud and wet and cold. Wear long pants and solid shoes. Bring duct tape.  Bring clip board.  Shovel optional. (3520’45”N,12050’30”W) Optional extra credit  museum visit/ elephant seals.

 10/21            Aquaculture, Proteus Sea Farms: Meet at the power plant gate, 6635 Edison Dr. Oxnard. Plant safety rules require solid shoes and long pants and shirts. Guest speaker-Tom McCormick    

10/28       Microbiology I

11/4        Microbiology II 

11/11       Microbiology III  (sandy beach report due)

11/18       Ecology I

11/25       Ecology II  (report due from last week) (Micro report also due)

12/2        Sharks & Marine Mammals virtual Lab           

12/9  Marine Environmental Issues Seminar (oral report, typed bibliography & abstract due)

 

Note: Things change. I try to keep you notified. If you miss a class or come in a bit late make sure you find out BEFORE the next class if you missed any announcements. Make sure your current email is listed with the college.

 

 

 

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L. AFFIDAVIT  


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