Course Description
An overview of aquatic environments with an emphasis on human impacts and conservation of water resources. The course will cover the fundamentals of applied aquatic ecology with a survey of biota from headwater streams, lakes and reservoirs to estuarine systems.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be expected to assist with field trip
and lab planning. They will choose two field sites from the
syllabus related to their research and be required to submit
PowerPoint slides to supplement the field trips and laboratory
sessions on this site. They will be graded at a higher standard
than undergraduate students on both tests and written
assignments.
Athena Title
AQUATIC BIOLOGY LAB
Prerequisite
BIOL 1108-1108L
Corequisite
FISH 4200/6200
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This unique course will introduce students to the depth and breadth of aquatic environments and biota. Aquatic diversity from mountain streams to estuaries will link processes from the rivers to seas. Despite their distinct biota and physical characteristics, these systems share common properties and, at the level of ecology, show many similarities. Coverage of freshwater and marine systems will illustrate the principles and properties that unify aquatic systems. Students will also be exposed to the additive impacts humans have on each of these systems and potential conservation or management to control negative effects. Throughout this course students will demonstrate their understanding through critical examination of the facts and principles of the various aspects of aquatic research, relate their insights to contemporary issues involving pollution and development, and practice their critical thinking, problem-solving and writing skills both in the classroom and the laboratory. Integrated labs will provide valuable practical experience with identification of aquatic organisms and water quality sampling methods. Students will obtain hands-on experience with research techniques for plants, algae, and invertebrates, measuring and monitoring water quality in aquatic environments through field trips to Georgia aquatic environments.
Topical Outline
For each aquatic site, we will plan the research, conduct the fieldwork, complete laboratory and statistical analysis, and then develop the report. Planning will include mapping the location and planning sampling intensity. We will first develop the hypothesis to test at each site, then the analysis we will use to test this research question. After completing the required field and laboratory measurements, we will report the data in one of four ways; 1) abstract and PowerPoint, 2) preliminary grant proposal, 3) results section of a grant report, and 4) methods/results section in journal. Aquatic Sites I. Creeks II. Piedmont Rivers III. Ponds IV. Reservoirs V. Coastal systems 1. Planning 1.1. GIS mapping of site 1.2. Research questions/analysis 1.3. Data sheets 1.4. Field equipment list 1.5. Reference List 2. Field trip 2.1. Water quality/field measurements 2.2. Field Identification 2.3. Sample collection 2.4. Sample processing 3. Laboratory/data analysis 3.1. Nutrients 3.2. Phytoplankton 3.3. Microbial assessments 3.4. Benthic inverts 3.5. Plankton samples 4. Reporting 4.1. Field/Lab notebooks 4.2. PowerPoint presentation 4.3. Grant proposal 4.4. Grant results reporting 4.5. Journal methods/results