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Texas A&M University at Galveston

Course Descriptions

Marine Biology
(MARB)

616. Introduction to Methods in Scientific Diving. (2-3). Credit 3.

Prepares students to use SCUBA as a research tool for the marine sciences in compliance with University, American Academy of Underwater Sciences, and Federal OSHA standards. Practical work in pool and open waters will complement academic experience and provide training towards scientific diver status. Prerequisite: Advanced SCUBA Certification.

617. Research Diving Methods. (0-6). Credit 2.

Field experience in a wide range of diving environments stressing dive planning and safety, buoyancy control, equipment configuration and scientific methodology in biological, physical, chemical, archaeological and geological sciences. Students will design, supervise and conduct independently developed scientific diving projects. Prerequisite: MARB 616 or equivalent.

620. Marine Biological Resources. (3-0). Credit 3.

An introduction to biological resources which can be recovered from marine environment to provide food, biomass and materials, recreation, and employment to the coastal United States and other regions, with emphasis on fisheries and hatcheries, in Oceanic Resources, Coastal and Estuarine Resources, and Mariculture. Natural and societal limitations to resource recovery are investigated, and environmental impacts are analyzed. Prerequisites: (at least 3 of these) CHEM 102, BIOL 114, GEOL 104, and /or OCNG 251.

651. Shore and Estuarine Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. (2-6). Credit 4.

Taxonomy, ecology and zoogeography of fishes inhabiting estuarine and marine ecosystems of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Particular emphasis on community structure and factors affecting spatial and temporal abundance of fishes found along the Texas coast. Prerequisites: MARB 311 or equivalent; approval of instructor.

654. Coastal Plant Ecology. (3-3). Credit 4.

Study of estuarine, coastal, and dune plant communities and associated environmental factors affecting plants including the identification, distribution, ecological importance, and management techniques of vascular plants in these communities. Prerequisites: Graduate classification; approval of instructor.

655. Wetlands Ecology, Monitoring and Delineation. (2-3). Credit 4.

Study of the characteristics and importance of wetlands, and methods of delineating, monitoring, and evaluations of wetlands. Students will learn wetland plants. Soils, hydrology, ecology of wetlands, animals inhabiting wetlands, delineations techniques, laws pertaining to wetlands, permits required for impacts, mitigation and management techniques for wetlands. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

662. Biology of Mollusca* (3-3). Credit 3.

Survey of mollusks including their morphology, ecology, physiology and reproduction. Emphasis on marine species of cological and commercial importance. Prerequisites: MARB 435 or 665 or equivalent.

665. Biology of Invertebrates (3-3). Credit 4.Morphology, biology and phylogeny of invertebrates. Topics may be either detailed discussions/dissections of specific organisms or comparative information on a process. Prerequisites: MARB 435 or ZOOL 335 or equivalent; approval of instructor.

667. Biology of Marine Annelida. (3-3). Credit 4.

Survey of Marine Annelids including their behavior, organ systems physiology, and reproduction. Emphasis on morphology and taxonomy of polychaetous annelids to enable students to move more rapidly and accurately analyze benthic assemblage data. Prerequisites: MARB 435 or ZOOL 335 or equivalent; approval of instructor.

681. Seminar in Marine Biology. (1-0). Credit 1.

Detailed reports on specific topics within the field of marine biology. Students may register in no more than two sections of this course in a given semester. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

684. Professional Internship. Credit 1-9.

On the job training in the field of marine biology. Prerequisites: Graduate classification; approval of instructor.

685. Directed Studies. Credit 1-6.

Limited investigations in fields other than those chosen for the thesis or dissertation topic. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate classification ; approval of instructor.

689. Special Topics In...Credit 1-4.

Selected topics in an identified area of marine biology. Prerequisite: Graduate classification ; approval of instructor.

691. Research for Thesis or Dissertation. Credit 1-9.

This course is the designated field and/or laboratory research leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree. May be offered by any Marine Biology faculty member as many times as necessary in a given semester and repeated for credit by a student. Prerequisites: Graduate classification ; approval of instructor.