Marine Biology

After the successful completion of the course, students should be able to understand:

• The basic principles of Marine Biology

• The ecological importance of the marine organisms and their interactions with the abiotic environment of the marine realm

• The economic importance of the marine organisms (food, pharmaceutical industry, chemical industry, etc)

• Know the environmental factors that are decisive for the distribution of marine species and their assemblages

• The systematic composition, morphology, anatomy, physiology, phylogenetic relations and ethology of the marine organisms

• The general and special terminology of Marine Biology

• The identification of key marine species of the Flora and Fauna of the Mediterranean Sea and the Hellenic Seas

• Working independently (autonomous working)

• Team work

• Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of the necessary technology

• Respect for the natural environment

• Production of free, creative and inductive thinking

The course (theoretical lectures) includes the following topics:

• The science of Marine Biology: an historical review

• Basic principles of the scientific methods with reference to the Marine Biology

• Oceanographic and biological zonation of the marine realm

• Abiotic environmental factors in the marine realm and interactions with marine organisms

• Basic principles of the Marine Biology (Reproduction, Natural Succession and adaptation, Systematics, Phylogeny and Evolutionary history of the marine organisms)

• Morhology, anatomy, biology, ecology, ethology, taxonomy, phylogenetic relationships and economic importance of the different categories in the Kingdoms of Life (Viruses, Prokaryotics – Monera Bacteria and Archaea, Protista – Monocellular Algae/Protophyta and Protozoa, Fungi, Plantae – Ploycellular Algae (Chlorophycae, Phaeophycae, Erythrophycae) and Macrophyta – Angiosperms (Marine grasses, Saltmarshes plants, Mangroves), Animals – Marine Invertebrates (Sponges, Knidozoans, Platyheminthes, Nematodes, Worms, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Bryozoans, Echinoderms, Hemichordates, etc) and Vertebrates (Fishes, Marine Reptiles, Aves and Mammals).

The course includes the following topics regarding the Laboratory/Seminar lectures and the Field exercises:

• Species Identification and Anatomy of Major Taxonomic Groups (Identification and Anatomy of representative Species from the major Taxonomic Groups – Protista, Angiosperma, Algae, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Fishes – of the Flora and Fauna of the Hellenic Seas and the Mediterranean Sea by means of Guide Books, Conserved Biological Material and the appropriate scientific equipment – anatomy tools kit, stereoscopes, microscopes)

• Techniques of Biological Samples Observation and Collection in the Marine Coastal Environment for species identification (Observation and/or Collection of Biological samples from the pelagic and benthic communities for species identification by means of different scientific equipment – phyto- and zoo-sampling nets, snorkeling, diving equipment and Guide Books)

Suggested bibliography:

• "MARINE BIOLOGY" (Castro & Huber 2012 - Scientific Editing in Greek by E. Voultsiadou et al., UTOPIA Editions, Athens, 640pp.

• KOUTSOUBAS D., 2001 (2nd Edition, 2005). "MARINE BIOLOGY". Notes and laboratory Exercises, Educational Material for the Undergraduate Students of the Dept. Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 175 pp.)

• Nybaken J.W., Marine Ecology: An ecological approach. Benjamin Cummings, 5th edition.

• PINET P. (2009). "INVITATION TO OCEANOGRAPHY", Jones & Bartlet Publ., 612 pp.

Suggested bibliography for the Laboratory and Field Exercises:

• "FLORA Y FAUNA DEL MEDITERRANEO" (Riedl, 1996, 672 pp.)

• "LIFE IN THE GREEK SEAS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA" (Simeonidi N. & D. Simeonidis, 2011., MEDITERRANEO Editions, Rethymnon, Crete, Greece, 245 pp.)

• "GUIDE TO THE SEASHORES AND SHALLOW SEAS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE" (Campbell A., 2005, Pocket Guide Book, Octopus Publ. Books, 329 pp.)

Additional suggested literature (International Scientific Journals for Marine Biology Issues distributed freely by the HEALINK – Hellenic Network of Libraries) – indicative ones:

• Marine Biology International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters

• Marine Ecology

• Mediterranean Marine Sciences

• Marine Biodiversity

• Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

• Marine Ecology Progress Series

• Marine Biodiversity Records

• Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology