Ocea231 - Chemical Oceanography
1st Sem., A.Y. 2023-2024
Course Outline
Course Description:
This graduate course is designed to give students an understanding of the chemical system of the ocean that affects the dynamics and the interactions of marine organisms. In this course, students will examine the ocean as a chemical system in which the inputs, outputs, and internal cycling of the elements determine their concentrations and distributions within the ocean. The course will cover the role of fluxes across the ocean boundaries with the land, atmosphere, sediments, and hydrothermal vents. Likewise, this course will focus on the cycling of elements within the ocean, driven primarily by processes such as photosynthetic production, heterotrophic production, and the mineralization of organic matter.
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Learning Goals
Students will be able to:
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Understand the set of fundamental concepts of chemical oceanography and relate the chemical interactions that potentially affect the dynamics and behavior of marine organisms.
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Able to communicate/translate the dynamics of the marine environment and the transport and transformation of different chemical constituents in marine waters.
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Develop or enhance critical thinking skills in critiquing, interpreting, and communicating scientific data.
TEXTBOOKS:
This course does not have a specific textbook, and all students are encouraged to read/browse all related references/publications on Chemical Oceanography. Likewise, published (peer-reviewed) research and review articles will be required in this course.
COURSE IMPLEMENTATION
The course will be divided into 12 major topics, as enumerated in the course outline, with different lectures from the invited guest lecturers. The course introduction and the chemical composition of seawater will be presented by the instructor, and the remaining topics will be assigned to each student. As this course is designed to be a research-based modality, students will be assigned a specific topic for her/his advanced reading and reporting, and preparation of a critical review paper. Students are expected to participate in any online lectures and group discussions.
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COURSE OUTLINE
Topic 1: Course Introduction/ Descriptive Oceanography/ Chemical processes in the ocean
Topic 2: The Water in the Seawater/ Micro- and macronutrients
Topic 3: Nutrient Cycling in Marine Ecosystems
Topic 4: Distribution and Speciation of Heavy Metals in the Marine Environment
Topic 5: Isotope biogeochemistry
Topic 6: Effects of climate change on Marine Chemistry
Topic 7: Dissolved gases and the carbonate system in the marine ecosystem
Topic 8: Phytoplankton/primary production in the Ocean
Topic 9: The chemistry of marine sediments/ sediment biogeochemistry
Topic 10: Marine life and the marine environment
Topic 11: Ocean Acidification and climate impacts on Ocean Chemistry
Topic 12: Bioaccumulation of Toxic Contaminants
Topic 13: Emerging threat of microplastics in the Ocean and the marine life
Topic 14: Dissolved and other Organic Products
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING SYSTEM
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Students are required to conduct a public presentation on the assigned topic. The schedule of the presentation is presented in the course schedule below. Aside from the public presentation, students are also required to submit a critical review paper on the assigned topic that covers the recent developments and published data on the given topic. The submission date of the said review paper is also reflected in the course schedule. Lastly, a comprehensive exam will be given at the end of the semester (refer to the course schedule), and topics discussed during the public presentation and lectures from the Guest Lecturers (if there are any) will be included. The weight distribution of these requirements that will constitute the final grade is as follows:
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Public Presentation 20 %
Critical review paper 60 %
Comprehensive Exam 20 %
Passing: 60%
Note: Points will be determined based on the given rubrics
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COURSE SCHEDULE*
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