11:628:320 Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems 2005

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11628320 Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems 2005
Instructors John Wilkin (physics)732-932-65
55 ext 251 jwilkin_at_rutgers.eduLiz Sikes
(geochemistry) 732-932-6555 ext 518
sikes_at_marine.rutgers.edu Oscar Schofield
(biology) 732-932-6555 ext 548
oscar_at_marine.rutgers.edu TA Kate Jordan
(chemistry) 732-932-6555 ext 225
jordan_at_marine.rutgers.edu
Class web site http//marine.rutgers.edu/courses
/11628320.c.html/
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Class Philosophy Oceanography is an
interdisciplinary scientific field. The physics,
chemistry and biology are all coupled. Therefore
teaching the physics, biology, and chemistry as
separate sections does a poor job to explain the
how the worlds oceans work. We will try hard
to both explain the physics, chemistry,
biology, BUT also emphasize the interactions
between them.
This will be accomplished by focusing a series of
lectures on themes
Theme 1. Vertical structure of the open ocean
Biology of the mixed layer Theme 2  Coastal
Upwelling Theme 3 Equatorial Circulation and El
Nino Theme 4 Global Climate System Theme 5
Land-Ocean Interaction
Themes will build off each other. A lot of effort
will be on showing how many of these processes
are coupled.
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Example Fish ecology, polar oceanography and
climate and humans
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Theme 1. Vertical structure of the open ocean
Biology of the mixed layer
Date Topic Person Sep 8 Wind-driven
mixing Wilkin Sep 11 Sources of
nutrients Sikes Sep 13 Upwelling nutrients
and tracers Sikes Sep 15 Ocean-Atmosphere CO2
exchange Sikes Sep 18 Concepts in global cycles
(reservoirs and fluxes) Sikes Sep 20 Light,
photosynthesis, growth Schofield Homework 1
distributed Sep 22 pelagic food webs, microbial
loop Schofield Sep 25 microbial loop and
marine viruses Schofield Sep 27 nitrogen-phytop
lankton-zooplankton models Wilkin Homework 1
due
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Theme 2  Coastal Upwelling
Date Topic Person Sep 29 Upper ocean
current, Coriolis Ekman transport Wilkin Oct
2 Coastal and equatorial upwelling Wilkin Oct
4 Productivity of coastal versus open
ocean Schofield Homework 2 distributed Oct
6 Comparison of eastern boundary
systems Wilkin OCT 9 EXAM 1
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Theme 3 Equatorial Circulation and El Nino
Date Topic Person Oct 11 Equatorial
Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics Wilkin Oct 13 El
Nino and Southern Oscillation Wilkin Homework
2 is due Oct 16 ENSO related variability and
fisheries Schofield Oct 18 Paleooceanographic
record of climate Sikes
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Theme 4 Global climate system
Date Topic Person Oct 20 Pacific Decadal
Oscillation Wilkin Oct 23 Carbon and Carbonate
Cycle Sikes Oct 25 Paleo record of global
climate change Sikes Oct 27 Water mass
properties and thermohaline circulation Wilkin H
omework 3 distributed Oct 30 Thermohaline
circulation cont. Wilkin Nov 1 Paleo record of
global climate change Sikes Nov 3 Climate
change process cont. Wilkin Homework 3
due Nov 6 EXAM 2
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Theme 4 Global climate system Continued New
Approaches in the New Millennium
Date Topic Person Nov 8 Consequences of
global warming Schofield Nov 10 Carbon
Sequestration Schofield Nov 13 Observations
of global change Schofield Nov
15 Perturbations in nitrogen cycles Sikes Hom
ework 4 distributed Nov 17 Geochronology and
bioturbation Wilkin
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Theme 5 Land-Ocean Interaction
Date Topic Person Nov 20 Estuarine
circulation Wilkin Nov 22 Chemistry,
salinity, and floculation Sikes Nov 27 Marine
pollution Sikes Nov 29 Harmful algal
blooms Schofield Homework 4 due Dec
1 Benthic Communities and Chemistry Sikes Dec
4 Deep sea hydrothermal vents Schofield Dec
6 Geobiology Schofield Dec 8 Human health
and the oceans Schofield Dec 11 Coral reef
biology Schofield Dec 13 Review for final
exam All
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Home works
Home works are handed out at the end of each
section. The home work might have essays,
calculations etc. It will be more then just a
short answer. You will have a week to do the
home work due in class. Examples of past
homeworks -Consider the simple 3-box NPZ
(nutrient-phytoplankton-zooplankton) model
described in class. Question describe briefly
your undertsanding of each of the numbered terms
in the N equation (refer to hand-out).
-Describe the physical, biological and
geochemical features that are typical of the
major eastern boundary coastal upwelling regions
of the world.
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Grading
Totals 3 exams 20 each 60 4 home works
5 each 20 1 review paper 20 20
Exams Cover the material juts provided, not
cumulative exams. Last exam will be on the
assigned final day. Homeworks Do them, late
homework will lose precious points even if only a
day late. Review paper 1) interdisciplinary
topics, 2) must be connected to, aspect covered
in the course, 3) must demonstrate linkages
between at least 2 disciplines (physics
chemistry, chemistry biology, etc..), 4) must
use recent (5 years) PRIMARY literature, 5) must
get topic cleared (and you will to have a
reference illustrating The direction you are
moving in). Examples marine mammal foraging at
shelf/slope front, iron fertilization, CO2
increase and corral reefs