OCEA 110 - Environmental Oceanography

5 CR

Same as ENVS 110.
Provides an overview of ocean environmental issues, including the potential impacts of overfishing, undersea mining, habitat loss, pollution, coastal development, and global climate change. Examined in the context of the innate relationship between humans and the sea. Either OCEA 110 or ENVS 110 may be taken for credit, not both.

Course Outcomes

List and explain the basic physical and biological factors affecting ocean ecology.
List the major biological, mineral, and fossil fuel resources in the ocean and describe the known and potential environmental impacts related to their extraction.
Provide a comprehensive definition of “ocean pollution”, listing the major classes of pollution, and summarizing the ecological impacts associated with each.
Describe the documented and hypothesized impacts on the ocean due to global climate change.
Explain the reasons for observed habitat losses in the coastal zone, estuaries, and coral reefs over the past century.
Enumerate and evaluate scientific priorities dealing with studies of marine environmental change in the coming decades.
Summarize key past and present international agreements and treaties that govern human use of the ocean, and assess their success in protecting the marine environment.

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