EME students in the intertidal zone.

This course provides an introduction to ecology, covering interactions between marine organisms and the environment at scales of populations, communities, and ecosystems. The course culminates with a field-based research project with students working in the intertidal zone of Appledore Island and test concepts and theories learned in the classroom.

Students taking this course will:

• Gain knowledge about how plants and animals cope with environmental variation through a variety of adaptations;
• Develop a basic understanding of biogephgraphical patterns of species distributions and the application of the theory of island biogeography;
• Learn the major pathways and mechanisms of nutrient cycling and the human impacts on these cycles.

Internship opportunities: This course is recommended experience for SML's Intertidal Ecology Internship, Aquatic Ecology Internship, and Parasite Ecology Internship.