Management and Conservation of Coastal Marine Ecosystems
Presentation
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
| Acquisition of basic knowledge on: Biology and Ecology of marine shores, namely on patterns of community structure and their physicochemical and biological processes; littoral dynamic geological processes; human disturbances, management and conservation of marine shores. A great emphasis will be put on oceanic shores, and Portuguese examples will be given whenever possible.Development of the capacity of searching, selecting and analysing significant scientific information, and of analysing and discussing scientific papers on marine shores.Development of the ability to use English and Portuguese languages by means of reading scientific papers and writing a scientific paper.Development of the capacity of making in situ observations through visits to marine shores.Development of the capacity of suggesting a priori hypotheses, planning an experiment, obtaining data and interpreting the results, considering the hypothesis suggested.Development of numerical and computational ability to analyse data, and the ability to make scientific communications, oral and written.Development of the capacity of using the on-line teaching platform of the University of Évora.Development of the ability to do team work. |
Contents
| Patterns of community structure, and of abundance and distribution of benthic and pelagic species of marine shores. Physical (wave exposure, tides, coastal upwelling) and biological (predation, herbivory, competition, facilitation) processes and their interaction. Primary and secondary productivity, and trophic relations. Reproduction, settlement and recruitment.Rock cycle and geological time scale. Physical and chemical characterization of detrital, clay and carbonate rocks. Morpho-dynamic processes on rocky and sandy marine shores. Geosphere-Biosphere interactions on marine shores.Human disturbances: fisheries, pollution, alterations in physical habitat, introduction of exotic species, climate change. Management and conservation of marine shores and their resources: objectives, strategies and threats. Marine protected areas: selection, designation and management. |
Teaching Methods
| Lectures for transmission of basic knowledge.Visits to marine shores to make in situ observations, sample and obtain data for practical work.Practical classes, in the laboratory or in the field, to observe marine organisms (plankton and benthos) and marine shore environments.Practical classes to analyse data obtained in practical works, and to analyse and discuss following results.Workshops to present and discuss scientific papers, organized by groups of students.Workshops or conferences on studies of marine shores made in the University of Évora or elsewhere (invited speakers).Tutorial supervision, with the presence of the teacher or via e-mail. |
Assessment
| Participation in workshops and scientific discussions, and execution, presentation and discussion of reports/papers (group and individual). |
Recommended Reading
Barnes, R. S. K. and R. N. Hughes, 1999. Introduction to marine ecology. 3rd edition, Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Bertness, M. D., 1999. The ecology of atlantic shorelines. Sinauer Associates, 417 pp.
Bertness, M. D., S. D. Gaines and M. E. Hay (editors), 2001. Marine community ecology. Sinauer Associates, 550 pp.
Clark, R.B., 2001. Marine pollution. Oxford University Press.Gubbay, S. (editor), 1995. Marine protected areas. Principles and techniques for management. Chapman & Hall, London.
Kaiser, M. J., M. J. Attrill, S. Jennings, D. N. Thomas, D. K. A. Barnes, A. S. Brierley, N. V. Polunin, D. G. Raffaelli and P. J. B. Williams, 2005. Marine ecology. Processes, systems, and impacts. Oxford University Press, 557 pp.
Kelleher, G. (editor), 1999. Guidelines for marine protected areas. World Commission on Protected Areas of IUCN – The World Conservation Union.National Research Council, 1995. Understanding marine biodiversity. A research agenda for the nation. National Academy Press.
Press, F. and R. Siever. 2002. Understanding Earth. 3rd edition, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, 573 pp.
Raffaelli, D. and S. Hawkins, 1996. Intertidal ecology. Chapman & Hall, 356 pp.
Roberts, C.M. and J.P. Hawkins, 2000. Fully-protected marine reserves: a guide. WWF Endangered Seas Campaign.
Salm, R., J. Clark and E. Siirila, 2000. Marine and coastal protected areas. A guide for planners and managers. IUCN – The World Conservation Union.
Schmitt, R.J. and C.W. Osenberg (editors), 1996. Detecting ecological impacts. Concepts and applications in coastal habitats. Academic Press.
Selley, R. C., 1996. Ancient sedimentary environments and their sub-surface diagnosis. Chapman & Hall, 242 pp.
