Marine Biology

Index page

Marine Biology is a third year module provided by the School of Life Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh. It concerns the biology and ecology of organisms that live in the sea. This site has largely been superceded by a site on webCT.

Pages for Environmental Toxicology in 2006 onwards

• Eutrophication (P.Tett) updated 2008

Exam tutorial, 2003-4

• Example bullet point answers(updated 7 May 04; PT);

Set Book

The set book for the module is:

• Nybakken, J.W. Marine Biology, an ecological approach.

This has gone through several editions. The 2nd edition, of 1988, was published by Harper & Row, New York. The 4th edition of 1997 was published by Addison Wesley Longman, Reading, Mass. There are copies in the library.

Lectures for 2002-2003

1. Introduction (L.Gilpin)
2. Introduction to life in the oceans and Early history of life in the oceans (P.Tett)
3. Circulation and tides in coastal waters (P.Tett)
4. Diversity of pelagic organisms (L.Gilpin)
5. Pelagic food webs (V.Edwards; updated 5 March)
6. The diversity of benthic organisms (T.Fernandes)
7. Euphausiids (P.Tett)
8. Pelagic protozoa (P.Tett)
9. Estuaries (P.Read)
10. ditto
11. Diversity of fish: adaptations and life histories (T.Fernandes)
12. Mangrove Biology (T.Fernandes)
13. the Mussel (P.Read)
14. Antarctic ecosystems (L.Gilpin)
15. Marine mammals (A. Craig)
16. Coral reefs (L.Gilpin)
17. Deep water organisms and communities (V.Edwards)
18. Eutrophication (P.Tett)
19. Seaweeds (P.Tett)

Tutorials in 2002-2003

1. Advice concerning the structure of the practical report: 6 March (for p-t students), 10 March (for f-t students, 2 groups);
2. Advice concerning the data that is to be analysed in the practical report: 24 March (for f-t students, 2 groups); 3 April (for p-t students);

The practical will use samples taken during a visit to Cramond beach on Friday 21 February. Thereafter, analysis will proceed as follows:

Practical Schedule

Detailed Instructions

• Instructions for keeping a practical notebook(P.Tett)
• Methods for macrobenthos (T. Fernandes)
• Methods for sediment granulometry (T. Fernandes/J.Kinross)
• Methods for sediment organic content (T.Fernandes)
• Methods for benthic diatoms (V.Edwards)
• Methods for benthic chlorophyll (L.Gilpin)
• Instructions for report (P.Tett)
• Instructions for rank correlation coefficient (P.Tett)
• Instructions for Mann-Whitney U test (P.Tett)

Data submission Click to download an excel spreadsheet for use in submitting team data. After clicking, your browser should ask if you want to open or save the file. It is better to save. This spreadsheet must be completed and returned by email by 5 pm on 28 March 2003.

Results page containing class data.

FAQs about the practical report

Updated by Paul Tett, 30 April 2003, regenerated 2 September 2003.

Lectures for 2001-2002

1. Introduction to life in the oceans and Early history of life in the oceans (P.Tett)
2. Water layering and water movements (P.Tett)
3. Marine Mammals (L.Gilpin)
4. Coral reefs (L.Gilpin)
5. Estuaries (P.Read)
6. ditto
7. the Mussel (P.Read)
8. Diversity of pelagic organisms (L.Gilpin)
9. Soft-substrate benthos (T.Fernandes)
10. Deep-sea benthos (T.Fernandes)
11. Antarctic ecosystems (L.Gilpin)
12. Pelagic protozoa (P.Tett)
13. Euphausiids (P.Tett)
14. Antarctic ecosystems (L.Gilpin)
15. (Nekton -) Fish (T.Fernandes)
16. Mangrove Biology (T.Fernandes)
17. Pelagic food webs (V.Edwards)
18. Seaweeds (V.Edwards)

Practical Schedule

Granulometry, organic matter (OM) and diatoms: must be started one week before the relevant practical.

Detailed Instructions

• Instructions for keeping a practical notebook(P.Tett)
• Methods for macrobenthos (T. Fernandes)
• Methods for sediment granulometry (T. Fernandes)
• Methods for sediment organic content (T.Fernandes)
• Methods for benthic diatoms (V.Edwards)
• Methods for benthic chlorophyll (L.Gilpin)
• Instructions for report (P.Tett)
• Instructions for rank correlation coefficient (P.Tett)

Practical data from 2001-2002

• Class data

Lectures given in 2000-2001

1. Introduction to life in the oceans and Early history of life in the oceans (P.Tett)
2. Water layering and water movements (P.Tett)
3. Benthic organisms (T.Fernandes)
4. ditto
5. Estuaries (P.Read)
6. ditto
7. Soft-substrate benthos (T.Fernandes)
8. Hard-substrate benthos (T.Fernandes)
9. (Nekton -) Fish (T.Fernandes)
10. Eutrophication (P.Tett)
11. Mangrove Biology (T.Fernandes)
12. ditto
13. Diversity of pelagic organisms (L.Gilpin)
14. Antarctic ecosystems (L.Gilpin)
15. Marine Mammals (L.Gilpin)
16. Coral reefs (L.Gilpin)
17. Pollution (P.Read)
18. ditto

Notes on material in Nybakken

Lectures from 1999-2000 not used, or much changed, in subsequent years

• Bioluminescence (P.Tett)

  Tutorials held in 2000-2001

  • Writing the results paper, P.Tett. Instructions for report
  • Exam revision, P. Tett. Mock examination

  Tutorials from 1999-2000

  • Effects of Organic Enrichment on the Marine Benthic Environment (P.Read)
  • Sampling plankton and its environment (P.Tett)
  • Mucus production in marine organisms (T.Fernandes)
  • Mock examination with outline answers

    Practical data from 2000-2001

    • Class data

    Practical data from 1999-2000

    • Data for benthic animals
    • Redox data
    • Phytobenthic data
    • Granulometry data
      
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      Page made by Paul Tett, School of Life Sciences, Napier University, second part updated on 2 April 2003; ecotox link updated 28 Feb 2008.