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Curriculum

IOI Fall 2008: August 25th – December 12th
(Preliminary)

8/25 – 9/12

Maritime anthropology in coastal cultures (3 cr)
Dr. Sarah Meltzoff; University of Miami
9/15 – 10/3

Climate change and its impact on Galapagos’ ecology (3 cr)
TBA
10/6 – 10/24

Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation (3 cr)
Art Cooper, Dolphins Plus Research and Education Center
Robert Lingenfelser, Marine Mammal Conservancy
10/25 – 11/2

Fall Intersession
11/3 – 11/21

Marine Ecology of Galapagos (3 cr)
Dr. Gabrielle Johnson, UCSB
11/24 – 12/12

Coastal Socio-Ecology (3 cr)
Dr. Agnes Gelin, University of Marseille

Course Descriptions:

Maritime anthropology in coastal cultures (3 cr)
Dr. Sarah Meltzoff; University of Miami

Synopsis:
You will experience insights into the local culture by learning about the ecology of the archipelago and understanding the needs of its people. This includes insights into life and work history of the communities as well as learning about Flora and Fauna - from Penguins to Iguanas, from Sharks to Tortoises, from salt marshes and beaches to volcano peeks.
By analyzing the socio-economic challenges of this delicate human-environmental needs balance, you will acquire several skills that help finding new ways towards conservation and sustainable development.

Objectives:
Explore human/environmental interactions
Know basic ethnography fieldwork techniques
Journal writing
Understand Political Ecology Approach as field methodology

Techniques:
Political ecology
Journaling
Life and work history
Participant observation

Readings:

Climate change and its impact on Galapagos’ ecology (3 cr)
TBA

Synopsis:
Recurring El Niño events provide an ideal system to study the impact of human-mediated climate change on ecosystems worldwide, by allowing observation of changes in populations associated with individual events. For example we will investigate the effects of 1997 El Niño on the genetic diversity of marine iguanas on the Galápagos Islands, study populations over time and determine which environmental and biological factors make specific populations more vulnerable than others.

Readings:
TBA

Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation
Art Cooper, Dolphins Plus Research and Education Center
Robert Lingenfelser, Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC)

Synopsis:
The class will provide professional and effective response techniques, procedures and care for stranded marine mammals. This class will add to the overall understanding of marine mammals on both the scientific and public fronts. Via data collection, during both necropsies and rehabilitation, and through public education this course will help ensure the success of an inspiring and threatened group of animals.

Furthermore the class provides methodologies for preparing marine mammals for release back into the wild, while providing conditions for their optimal mental and physical health through natural lagoon/sea pen rehabilitation, believing it provides the least stressful and most successful rehabilitation efforts.

With a 68% success rate compared to a nationwide 7% for cetaceans, the empirical evidence would suggest that MMC is one of the leaders of marine mammal rehabilitation.

Readings:
TBA

Marine Invertebrate Biology (3 cr)
Dr. Gabrielle Johnson, UCSB

Synopsis:
Introduction to the major phyla of marine invertebrates, such as Echinodermata, Mollusca, Arthropoda (including zooplankton), Porifera, Cnidaria, and major groups of marine worms.  Lectures will stress phylum and class characteristics, basic physiology, functional morphology, behavior, taxonomic relationships and natural history.

Laboratories will focus on live representative invertebrate types and entail making observations and scientific illustrations. Organisms of the Galapagos and their unique characteristics will be the emphasis. In addition, human impacts on the various invertebrates groups will be examined.
This course will provide you with a basic understanding of characteristics of the major marine invertebrate fauna and the ability to describe morphological characteristics of the major phyla. Furthermore you will obtain an understanding of basic evolutionary connection between classes with the various phyla and will develop accurate observation and scientific illustration skills.

Readings:

Coastal Socio-Ecology (3 credits)
Dr. Agnes Gelin, University of Marseille, currently freelance in Galapagos with IADB, PNG, CDF

Synopsis:
We will study coastal environments and their importance in the Galapagos Islands (Coastal lagoons, Mangrove ecosystems, Sea grass meadows, Coral reef ecosystems) including definition and characteristics of marine biology, chemical composition, notions of eco-physiology, biological consequences, phenotypic plasticity, generalities and adapting processes.

This will be put into relation of management of Marine Protected Areas, the Galapagos Marine Reserve, participative management, the actual state of the aquatic communities and habitats and the recent UNESCO declaration and consequences.

Last but not certainly not least we will relate the above to the traditional Fisheries in the Galapagos Marine Reserve from a socio-economic point of view analyzing work alternatives for and future of the Galapagos fishermen.

Readings: