MAR 620 - Case Studies in Estuarine Dynamics

4 credits
3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor
Interdisciplinary estuarine dynamics emphasizing how interactions between physical, biological, and chemical phenomena govern major estuarine processes. The course uses two estuaries as case studies of the types of interdisciplinary problems encountered in marine ecosystems with partial focus on temperate estuarine environments. The two case studies are used to compare and contrast physical, biological, and chemical characterization of estuaries of differing watersheds, tidal dynamics, and geomorphologies. Field and laboratory studies are used to complement the theory taught in lectures and serve as a “hands on” part of the course.