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2022 Summer Courses at Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)

The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is accepting applications for three summer courses scheduled for 2022.

This popular suite of university-level summer courses, designed to immerse an international cohort of students in an intensive 3-week program of coursework and research that is unique in marine science education. Founded in 1903, BIOS<http://www.bios.edu/#!/who-we-are> is a world-class ocean science research and education facility. BIOS summer courses provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to expand their studies into subtropical environments and/or to investigate topics in ocean science, which are not offered within the curricula of their home institutions. BIOS has quick and easy access to a diverse array of subtropical marine habitats and ocean locations which, combined with lectures, discussions and integrated field work and laboratory exercises, provide an optimal environment for experiential learning.

Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply for scholarships towards course fees which include tuition, campus accommodation and all meals (we do not award scholarships towards travel related expenses, visas or medical/travel insurance). Students may obtain academic credit for these courses, subject to approval from their home institution.

CORAL REEF ECOLOGY: FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY OF CORAL REEFS (July 4 – 22 & August 8 – 26)

Instructors: Dr. Eric Hochberg<http://www.bios.edu/about/team-members/eric-hochberg/> (BIOS) and Dr. Yvonne Sawall<http://www.bios.edu/about/team-members/dr-yvonne-sawall/> (BIOS)

The overall aim of this course is to study how the environment influences reef benthic communities and the fundamental processes of photosynthesis, respiration, and calcification. Production of organic and inorganic carbon underpins growth and maintenance of the reef ecosystem. These processes are strongly influenced by environmental parameters including water chemistry, hydrodynamics, light availability/capture, and temperature, as well as the taxonomic composition of the community itself. Reef geomorphological and ecological zonation demonstrates that benthic communities have adapted to (and influence) their prevailing environmental conditions. At the same time, conditions are never static, and communities must acclimate to short- and long-term changes in their environment. A vitally important question is how global change will impact this baseline of reef function. This course provides fundamental background in reef functional ecology, as well as training in the measurement and in
terpretation of reef processes and environmental parameters.
This is an intensive course, aimed at upper-level undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs. Course logistics include readings, lectures, discussions, presentations, and extensive laboratory and field work. Next to gaining a solid understanding of coral reef ecology and reef functional processes, students gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art instrumentation and techniques for collecting and analyzing reef community and environmental data, including building underwater photomosaics, measuring current profiles, characterizing the underwater light field, characterizing water quality, and quantifying rates of primary production, respiration, and calcification using traditional and advanced approaches.
RESEARCH DIVING METHODS (June 13 – July 1)

Instructors: Kyla Smith<http://www.bios.edu/about/team-members/kyla-smith/> (BIOS) and Dr. Samantha de Putron<http://www.bios.edu/about/team-members/samantha-deputron/> (BIOS)

The Research Diving Methods (RDM) course aims to familiarize participants with the fundamentals of scientific diving, both theoretical and practical. Research methods and practices are taught in class and then subsequently rehearsed on SCUBA during open-water sessions in the field. Underwater research techniques imparted include: navigation, search and recovery procedures, rescue diving and mapping techniques. A series of introductory science lectures provide the basic understanding of why and how marine scientists study communities using SCUBA. These lectures are integrated with field work to practice data acquisition whilst underwater using a range of methods and equipment, such as: underwater video and photographic surveys to measure coral communities, coral condition monitoring to measure coral bleaching and disease, coral recruitment surveys, reef fish counts, seagrass surveys, common restoration techniques and underwater cementing, and blue water diving to study planktonic comm
unities. By the end of the course, participants will be qualified Science Divers, as defined by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences, of which BIOS is an organizational member. During the course, participants will also have the option to elect into further specialist PADI qualifications, such as Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver.
This course is aimed at all SCUBA enthusiasts who are looking to expand their experiences and qualifications whilst being immersed in marine science. In addition, given the usefulness and increasingly common employment of SCUBA as a research tool for marine science, students, graduate students and professionals possessing underwater research qualifications will enjoy a competitive advantage.

Application deadline for all summer courses is April 30, 2022

Full course details, syllabi, prerequisites and application instructions are available here: http://www.bios.edu/education/summer-courses

Questions? Please contact us at education@bios.edu<mailto:education@bios.edu>

The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences is an independent U.S. not-for-profit marine research and educational organization with 501(c)(3) status and a Bermuda Registered Charity (#116).
Visit us in Bermuda or at www.bios.edu

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Summer Field Course Announcement – Coral Reef Ecology

2022 SUMMER COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT (June 15-July 10)

FIELD COURSE IN CORAL REEF ECOLOGY (CRE B-22)

COURSE LOCATION: Bocas del Toro Biological Station, Boca del Drago, Isla Colon, Republic of Panama.  The biological station is located on a hill facing the Almirante Bay and Volcan Baru on the mainland.  Coral reef, sea grass and mangrove ecosystems lie out in front of the station and lowland tropical rain forests lie directly behind.  This juxtaposition of the two most biologically diverse ecosystems provides tremendous opportunities for education and research.  See: http://www.itec-edu.org/ <http://www.itec-edu.org/> for details.

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Longin (Lonnie) Kaczmarsky, St. Johns River State College Science Department, 5001 St. Johns Ave., Palatka, Florida 32177. Phone: (386) 312-4298.  Email:  LonginKaczmarsky@sjrstate.edu <mailto:LonginKaczmarsky@sjrstate.edu>. Specialty: Coral reef ecology, marine fish ecology, marine conservation.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

NOTE: Diving certification is not necessary to enroll in this course, but is recommended. For SCUBA-certified (PADI, NAUI, or SSI certified) students who will be diving, there is a $100 Lab Fee with this course which covers dive tank air fill costs.  Students with SCUBA certification are expected to bring their own BC, regulators, mask/fins/snorkel and proof of certification.

This course is designed to provide the student with a sound foundation in ecological concepts, techniques and experimental design in field research as applied to coral reef ecosystems. The material covered is equivalent to a university upper level course in coral reef field ecology. The course will begin with a global ecosystem perspective and then will progressively narrow to assess the way in which local reefs are influenced by both global and local phenomena. We will briefly survey reef systems in various parts of the world and focus in depth on Caribbean reefs.  Using the reef at Bocas del Toro as an example, we will carry on an inventory of representative reef biota to characterize a general reef community. We will examine several theories of the origins of reefs and discuss some controversial arguments on the ecological processes ruling the dominant state and health of coral reefs. Students will learn to characterize a general reef community and its place among surrounding mari
ne habitats. The major reef biota will be discussed in terms of their phylogeny, biology, physiology, ecological requirements and roles in species interactions on reefs. We will discuss the impacts of anthropogenic stressors to coral reefs and the role of marine reserves [and coral nurseries] in reef conservation and restoration.  In the inventory we will examine and compare several experimental designs and sampling schemes with regard to their usefulness in a reef setting.

FORMAL LECTURES:  Lectures will present topics that provide a background for the field work in an interactive discussion format. Topics are selected to teach students about the biology and ecology of the reef organisms they will encounter and permit students to develop an awareness of the objectives of research on coral reefs as well as an appreciation of current theoretical and practical issues in ecology.

LECTURE TOPICS

• Fundamentals of oceanography, global ecology
• Plate tectonics, formation of ocean basins, continents and ocean currents
• Reef morphology, distribution of reef systems
• Ecological linkages between coral reef, seagrass and mangrove ecosystems
• Coral reef community study: sampling methods for distribution and abundance of organisms
• Coral reef community study: components and interactions, trophic dynamics
• Biology of coral reef organisms: Cnidarians
• Biology of coral reef organisms: Poriferans
• Biology of coral reef organisms: Mollusks, Annelids, Arthropods, and Bryozoans
• Biology of coral reef organisms: Echinoderms and Ascidians
• Biology of coral reef organisms: Fishes
• Biology of coral reef organisms and associated plants: Macroalgae, Seagrass, and Mangroves
• Ecosystem stability, resilience, and fragility/resistance
• Anthropogenic effects on reefs: climate change, pollution, overfishing, and diseases
• Marine protected areas, coral restoration, ecotourism, and environmental policy

READINGS:  Assignments relating to lecture topics will be made from the texts and supplementary research articles provided in the library.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
Sheppard, CRC, Davy, S.K. and G.M. Pilling, The Biology of Coral Reefs, Oxford Press, USA.
Humann, Paul. Reef Coral Identification, New World, Jacksonville, FL.
Humann, Paul. Reef Creature Identification, New World, Jacksonville, FL.

FIELD WORK BRIEFINGS:  Prior to departing for the reef site, dive teams will be formed and the objectives for the day will be outlined and discussed. Assignments will be made to the dive teams and coordinated.

GROUP EXERCISES:  During the first week, students will visit several sites in the vicinity of the station to familiarize themselves with the area and to make observations that may lead to hypotheses that could be tested in individual projects. Students will be organized into dive teams and will carry out field exercises in which they will gain experience in the use of sampling equipment and techniques used in reef research and monitoring. In the evenings, students will participate in ?debriefing sessions? during which they will identify the reef organisms they saw during the dives of the day and record the common name and scientific name of the species in a logbook.

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS:  Each student will be expected to prepare a research proposal for an original project in consultation with faculty.  Projects may be suggested by observations made during group exercises or from the research literature, and will be evaluated on the basis of feasibility in the available time, soundness of experimental design and concept. During the final week of the course, data analysis and writing of project reports will be carried out and students will present their results orally in an end-of-course symposium. They will present the research report on their findings in the form of a scientific journal article for evaluation.

BOQUETE CLOUD FOREST FIELD TRIP:  This field trip will allow students the opportunity to visit other areas of Panama, to experience Panamanian culture, and to visit tropical cloud and seasonal forests first hand.  We travel in ITEC boats to the mainland and then by chartered bus to Boquete which lies at the base of 11,000 ft. Volcan Baru.  The bus trip will take us up and over the central mountain range and through Palo Seco Forest Reserve.  Several stops will be made in route.

COURSE LENGTH: ITEC Summer field courses are about four weeks in length. CRE B-22 will run from June 15 through July 10, 2022.

TUITION: $2500 USD.  Tuition fee includes all lodgings, meals and airport transfers in Bocas del Toro.  The tuition also covers transportation and lodging during the three-day cloud forest field trip on the mainland to the town of Boquete.  A $100 USD lab fee to cover dive tank air costs is required for this course if you plan to dive.  Payments to ITEC should be made through ITEC PayPal using itec1@itec-edu.org <mailto:itec1@itec-edu.org>.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: May 15, 2022.  The course is limited to 10 students and applications will be evaluated as they arrive. Applications can be found at http://www.itec-edu.org/application.pdf <http://www.itec-edu.org/application.pdf>.  Please email your application to: itec@itec-edu.org <mailto:itec@itec-edu.org>. If you believe that your application may arrive late, notify ITEC.

GRADING AND COURSE CREDIT: Up to 6 units of credit will be given, 3 for the lecture portion and 3 for the field/lab portion.  A letter grade and a written evaluation will be assigned based on grant proposals, journal article, oral presentation as well as attendance and participation in lecture/ discussion and engagement in the material.  In the field/lab portion, students will be evaluated on the basis of safe diving practice, development of observational and data collecting skills, reliability as a dive partner and preparedness to go into the field with data collecting equipment and dive gear in order and ready. Other, less tangibles such as personal attitude, motivation and contribution to the course will also be noted.  Course credit must be arranged at the student’s institution.  Contact ITEC for details.

COVID NOTE AND REQUIRMENTS:  All ITEC professors, TAs, staff and volunteers are vaccinated with booster for Covid-19 and its variants.  All students attending ITEC field courses are also required to be vaccinated and booster protected.  ITEC?s Covid-19 Protocols are available on request.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation, 2911 NW 40th PL, Gainesville, FL 32605, phone: 352-367-9128 (Gainesville office) or phone or WhatsApp: +507-6853-2134 (Field Station in Panama), Emails: itec@itec-edu.org <mailto:itec@itec-edu.org>, or peterlahanas@gmail.com <mailto:peterlahanas@gmail.com>, website: http://www.itec-edu.org <http://www.itec-edu.org/>.  ITEC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1996.

Peter Lahanas
ITEC
2911 NW 40th Place
Gainesville, FL 32605