Marine Benthic Ecology

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Define and review how benthic ecosystems function and how benthic organisms adapt to, respond to/ and or regulate their environment.
• Analyse and interpret biological and environmental data from marine benthic habitats using descriptive, univariate and multivariate statistical tests over temporal and spatial scales.
• Describe and explain how benthic ecosystems are structured from both physical and biological perspectives, with particular reference to marine sediments as habitats and the classification of seafloor assemblages.
• Describe and explain the customary sampling methods used when surveying different marine benthic habitats and/ or targeting specific marine benthic organisms, in order to be able to design a robust experimental approach.
• Discuss and examine the sources and implications of change in marine benthic ecosystems and the approaches used to mitigate change, with particular reference to disturbance and anthropogenic activities, and the ecosystem consequences of biodiversity loss.

The following subject areas are dealt with during the module:

Introduction to sediment processes and the distribution of marine sediment habitats

Methods of sampling marine benthic habitats and experimental approaches used in marine benthic ecolog

Classification and descriptions of benthic invertebrate communities

Species adaptations to living in cohesive and non-cohesive sediments

Faunal mediation of ecosystem processes, including benthic-pelagic coupling, microbiological processes and invertebrate-microbial interactions and nutrient cycles in marine sediment

Effects of species activity on the sediment profile (Bioturbation and Bioirrigation)

Functional trait ecology

Organism-sediment interactions and concepts of benthic succession

Modifying effects of species and environment interactions on species behaviour and ecosystems functioning

Anthropogenic stressors in the marine benthos

Assessment of habitat quality

Benthic biodiversity

Consequences of altered biodiversity for ecosystems functioning

Online resource: we have developed an extensive online interactive resource that provides the full module content, wider reading and additional interactive exploratory tools.

Live sessions: the course content online is supported by live sessions that build on the concepts introduced online. The module deals almost exclusively with the ecology of marine sediments. Many case study examples are provided. We also include interactive activities, practical demonstrations and discussion in most formal sessions. In addition the formal lecture series includes a computer practical where you will receive instruction on how to use multivariate statistical analyses in R for analysing ecological data.

At the end of the semester we will run a feedback and revision session. The latter will include opportunities to revisit aspects of the course in more detail and/or to expand on difficult concepts.

A wide range of support is available for those students who have further or specific learning and teaching needs.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.