Curriculum

Our partner the Polytechnic University of Guayaquil – ESPOL – offers several programs at IOI: semester-long programs in the spring and fall and also short programs for winter intersession and summers.

IOI Spring Curriculum 2009: January 19th – May 8th

1/19 – 2/6	Marine mammal field observation and monitoring (3cr) Dr. Stan Kuczaj; University of Southern Mississippi
2/9 – 2/27	Marine Ecology of Galapagos (3cr) Dr. Fernando Arcos; ESPOL
3/2 – 3/27	Impact of Climate change on Galapagos ecology (3cr) Dr. Marco Alvarez; ESPOL
3/30 – 4/17	Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation (3cr) DVM. Robert Stevens, Dolphin Plus Research and Ed Center Robert Lingenfelser, Marine Mammal Conservancy
4/20 – 5/8	Coastal Socio-Ecology (3cr) Dr. Agnes Gelin, University of Marseille

1/19 – 2/6
Marine mammal field observation and monitoring (3cr)
Synopsis:
Introduction to cetacean biology, behavior and presence in the Galapagos environment. The course will be largely field bases and include lots of boat time. We will conduct boat-based surveys to monitor marine mammal presence in the Archipelago. At the same time, we collect audio recordings, video recordings (above and below water), and digital photographs to identify individual animals to determine residency patterns.

Readings:
TBA

2/9 – 2/27
Marine Ecology of Galapagos (3cr)
Synopsis:
Introduction to the Marine Ecology of the Galápagos, including major fauna groups and habitats found around Isabela Island. Lectures will stress morphological characteristics, basic physiology, adaptations, behavior, taxonomic relationships and natural history. In addition, the influence of natural environmental changes such as El Niño and climate change, as well as, the impact of various human activities will be examined. As part of this understanding, conservation efforts in the islands also are analyzed.

Laboratories will focus on live representative major faunal types and entail making observations and scientific illustrations. Organisms of the Galapagos and their unique characteristics will be the emphasis. This course will provide you with a basic understanding of characteristics of the major marine fauna and the ability to describe morphological characteristics and adaptations.
Furthermore, you will obtain an understanding of basic evolutionary connections between groups and further develop observation, field surveys and scientific illustration skills.

Readings:
Course reader consisting of scientific papers and documents from PNG and CDF

3/2 – 3/27
Impact of Climate change on Galapagos ecology (3 cr)
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

3/30 – 4/17
Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation
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

4/20 – 5/8
Coastal Socio-Ecology (3 credits)
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:

Línea Base de la Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Fundación Charles Darwin
Informe Galápagos 2006-2007. Fundación Charles Darwin, Parque Nacional Galápagos, INGALA.
Hickman & Zimmerman, 2000. A field guide to Crustaceans of Galapagos, Sugar Spring Press.
Hickman, 1998. A field guide to Sea Stars and other Echinoderms of Galapagos, Sugar Spring Press.
Hickman & Finet, 1999. A field guide to Marine Mollusks of Galapagos, Sugar Spring Press.
Other scientific papers, publications, reports (TBA)

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS
The Isabela Oceanographic Institute admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.