Field Marine Invertebrate Biology
Course Dates
Prerequisites
One semester of college-level biology or equivalent.
Course Description
Over 98% of the species on earth are invertebrates! Marine invertebrates are amazingly varied from the simple jellyfish to the complex giant octopus. Come explore the biology and diversity of the major invertebrate groups, with an emphasis on field and laboratory techniques. Functional morphology through dissection, qualitative and quantitative biotic inventory, intertidal and shallow subtidal collecting (including dredging, zonation, biotic interactions, life histories, and behavior).
Internship prerequisite: This course is recommended experience for the Intertidal Ecology Internship.
Dissecting scope photos by student Anna Alexandrou (SML Inverts '15, UNH '17):
Faculty
Assistant Professor, College of the Holy Cross
Dr. McAlister's expertise is found at the interface of functional and population biology. His research focuses on three questions: How do organisms respond to environmental change? How much variation exists for these responses? How come organisms respond in the way(s) that they do?
Associate Professor of Biology, Long Island University Post
Dr. Santagata is an evolutionary biologist with broad interests in the development, evolution and ecology of aquatic invertebrates. His current research focus is studying the expression of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors involved in the development of the nervous system of invertebrate animals.
