Marine Ecosystem Research and Management

3.0 credits · Undergraduate

The Gulf of Maine is experiencing rapid ecological change as a result of multiple stressors, including climate change, ocean acidification, non-native species, and changing fisheries dynamics. This course will challenge students with these real-world problems to engage in solutions that integrate the best available science into conservation and management goals. Students will learn about ecosystem-based management and integrated ecosystem assessments. They will learn integrated ecosystem research tools used in field and laboratory research, and apply these tools around the Isles of Shoals and the Gulf of Maine. Finally, students will be organized into pairs when conducting research and then collaborate to integrate their research and to make recommendations to an outside panel of experts on their answers for management.