Biology and Ecology of the Chesapeake Bay, Biology 1080 is a 3 credit hour course. Students will develop an understanding of the structure and function of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem by examining the physical, chemical and biological processes which together make up the Chesapeake Bay. The special nature of estuaries will be examined including salinity gradients, tides and water circulation patterns, input from rivers and streams and the ecological relationships of the Bay’s flora and fauna to each other and to the ecosystem at large. The life cycle of the major groups of organisms will be considered with an emphasis on habitats within the tidal portions of the Bay. Environmental issues concerning the health of the Bay will be discussed as well as the outlook for current and future utilization of the Chesapeake and its biota. Students will be required to engage in experienced based learning in the field. This is a web hybrid course and will require attendance at off campus sites. The class will meet face to face for four-five hour sessions during the semester. These sessions will include mandatory visits to the Marine Museum and Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomon’s Island and Morgan State’s Estuarine Research Center in St. Leonard. In addition, two sessions will be devoted to plant and bird identification off campus. (Search for BIO-1080 at csmd.edu)
