The course is focused in the baisc concepts of oceanography incluing some from physical, chemical and geological issue in order to achieve a better understanding of the marine organisms and the oceanic environment. The main goal of the course is the understanding of the bio-oceanographic processes in water column and in the atmosphere-ocean and ocean-seabottom interfaces. Learning outcomes are:
1. to know the biological structure of the ocean and its relation to the oceanographic physical and chemical processes
2. To understand the environmental factors and processes that shape and control the abundance and distribution of oceanic organisms in diverse spacial and time scales.
3. To describe the main adaptations of the organisms to the environmental factors of the ocean, and how these are biologically determined
4. To understand the structure and function of biological components of the oceans
5. To be aware of and to use some of the routine techniques used in the study of the oceans.
Indroduction to oceanography. Its multidisciplinary character. From Challenger to recent times.
The oceanic environment. Water and seawater proprieties: salinity, temperature and density. Sound and Light. Dissolved Gases. PH and carbonate system; Atmosphere-ocean interactions: atmosferic and oceanic circulation. Wind, Coriolis force and Ekman spiral. Surface currents. Upwellings. Termohaline circulation. Atmospheric CO2 regulation and thermal balance. El niño and South Oceanography (ENSO). NAO and AMO. Ocean, Cimate and climate change.
The ocean bottom. Batimetry. Physiography. Formation and evolution of ocean basins. MAR. Azores microplate. Marine sediments. Genesis, features and distribution.
Biogeochemical cycles: C, N, P, S and CH4. Polymetalic nodules.
Primary production and productivity. Phytoplankton. Diversity and Ecology. HABs. Microbial diversity
Secondary prodution. Zooplankton diversity. Herbivory and vertical migrations. Nekton; Diversity, organization and interactions. Food webs and migrations.
There are theorectical and practical components on this course, the first mainly related with lectures and a more interactive hands-on component when students will realize practical activities, using some of the approaches used in oceanographic research and to promote report writing to communicate experimental results and to promote a better understanding of the theorectical concepts. Evaluation is based on i) a written test and ii) reports and writing exercises done throughout the semester. In practical classes the students become familiar with the methods and techniques used in oceanographic studies and they are invited to think about the concepts under study by elaborating activities' reports developing useful skills for future work demands and simultaneously to awake the scientific spirit by exposure to the research themes in oceanography.
Ingmanson, D. E. & W. J. Wallace, 1989. Oceanography. An introduction. pp: 87- 121. Waldsworth Publ. Company, Belmont.
Lalli, CM & TR Parsons 1997 Biological Oceanography, An Introduction, (Second
Edition), Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Publishing
Miller, CB 2004. Biological Oceanography, Wiley Blackwell Publishing
Pipkin, B., D. Gorsline & R. Casey 2001 Laboratory exercises in Oceanography W.H.Freeman 270pp
Trujillo, A. & H. Thurman, 2005. Essentials of Oceanography. 8th edition. 532p. Pearson Prentice Hall.
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