GEOG 5360 - Ocean Environments

Meets with GEOG/ENVST 3360. Graduate students should enroll in GEOG 5360 and will be held to higher standards and/or more work. The oceans cover more than two thirds of our planet. They affect our weather and climate, and provide many of the food resources that feed our growing population. Humans have had a long history of reliance on coastal and marine environments, and have also had large impacts on the natural workings of those environments, especially in recent years. The physical, chemical, biological and geological characteristics of the ocean environment will be investigated in this course as a basis for understanding the oceans' role in shaping the coastal landscape, supporting diverse biological ecosystems, impacting climate, and in buffering human impacts on the environment. The course will also include case studies examining topics such as ocean acidification, coral bleaching, and shrinking polar sea -ice.