Marine Biology BSc (Hons)

This varied practical module will provide training in a range of ecological skills through a series of field and lab exercises, either in person, or through online equivalent exercises, as necessary. Fieldwork will expose you to diverse and beautiful natural environments where you will learn to develop identification and sampling skills for both terrestrial and marine animals and plants. The skills used will have a wide application to many fields of environmental science including biology, ecology, and physical geography. You will learn quantitative skills in field ecology and use these to solve fundamental and applied problems. Assessments include a mix of MCQ tests and practical portfolios.

This module is designed to deliver an introduction to the diversity of life in the marine environment. You will be introduced to the range of living organisms in the oceans from microscopic plants and bacteria to whales through a blended learning approach that combines e-lectures with a series of interactive workshops, practical activities and field visits. You will have the opportunity to examine marine organisms in our award-winning teaching facilities and during field visits, which will allow you to explore some of the diverse adaptations marine organisms have adopted to meet the challenge of survival in the marine environment. Your knowledge and understanding will be assessed via online tests, a group project in which you will create a guide to a specific group of marine organisms, and a practical workbook.

This module is designed to deliver an introduction to the diversity of marine ecosystems across the globe. Each week during in person lectures you will be introduced to a new ecosystem and will learn about this habitat, specifically the main organisms, key processes, and human threats to each ecosystem described and explored. Central to this module are interactive discussion sessions (workshops) that will build an understanding of how marine ecosystems are expected to respond to the human-induced changes of the anthropocene. During these workshops you will learn to critique a piece of scientific research in small group discussions guided by academics. Your knowledge and understanding will be assessed via open-book online tests, and a group project in which you will create an infographic outlining the threats a particular ecosystem faces.

This module will help students to develop the quantitative skills needed for ecology, marine biology and related subjects, including basic mathematics, statistics and computing. It will be delivered via a series of lectures, practical classes and problem-solving sessions. No mathematical knowledge above GCSE level will be assumed.

This module helps students of Ecology & Marine Biology to develop essential study skills through a combination of tutorials, workshops, and field experience. Students will learn how to write scientific essays, how to design posters and how to give oral presentations. The University’s academic integrity policy will be introduced. An academic advisor will help every student to adjust to the demands of university study. Students will be encouraged to think about their career, how they can obtain relevant skills and experience, and how to write an appropriate CV. It is recommended that students bring/purchase waterproof clothing and boots.

This module examines a number of global ‘grand challenges’ facing humans on the planet earth related to climate and environmental change. It will introduce students to core concepts of sustainability and human impacts upon the environment, as well as exploring the range of proposed solutions and mitigation strategies which are available to understand climate and environmental change. The module thus provides a core knowledge base for social and natural scientists who wish to understand environmental change.

Climate, Atmosphere and Oceans provides an understanding of how the climate system operates. The module draws on basic scientific principles to understand how climate has evolved over the history of the planet and how the climate system is operating now. Attention is particularly paid to the structure and circulation of the atmosphere and ocean, and how they both interact. The course emphasises acquiring mechanistic insight and drawing upon order of magnitude calculations. By the end of the module students will understand how the oceans and atmosphere combine to shape Earth’s climate. Students gain quantitative skills by completing a series of coursework exercises and a final exam. Students address the Net Zero carbon goal via group work involving digital storytelling.​

The zone of life on earth, or the ‘biosphere’, is a highly dynamic system responding to external pressures including changing human activities. The biosphere obeys a numbers of simple natural principles, but these often interact to create complex and sometimes unexpected responses. Using a wide range of examples we will explore these interactions between organisms and the environment. We will examine how species organise into communities, and how energy and other resources flow through ecosystems. We will explore how ecosystems respond to change, including gradual environmental shifts, sudden disturbance events and the effects of human activities. We will also learn how the key principles of ecology can be applied to conservation. We will assess the current state of the biosphere, and evaluate the major current threats. We will also look towards the future of ecosystems, including whether we can restore degraded habitats, and recreate “natural” landscapes.

Ecology explores the intricacies of our living environment, encompassing the spatial and temporal distribution of organisms, their dispersal patterns, population dynamics, interspecies interactions, community development over time, and the formation and functioning of diverse ecosystems. Evolutionary ecology explores the biological variations among species within this natural context, examining phenomena like rapid life cycles or long lifespans. This course provides a comprehensive overview of both foundational ecology and evolutionary ecology, addressing the challenges that natural populations and ecosystems face in our dynamic world.

The module will be delivered through, research-connected lectures by research active scientists. There are two assessments which assess students in interpreting scientific publications, while online tests assess their grasp of the covered topics. These assessments collectively contribute to evaluating students’ knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

This module is a fieldwork-based module which will be co-taught with the Marine Biological Association (the UK’s learned society for Marine Biologists) in Devon prior to the start of semester one. You will learn about the diversity of coastal marine taxa and techniques used for sampling marine taxa, both at sea on a research vessel and in the field on the rocky shore. In the lab you will learn how to identify marine species, and you will conduct your own research to enhance your knowledge on the coastal marine taxa sampled. This will include information on their distribution, taxonomy, habitats, and key features. Your knowledge and understanding will be assessed via an online exam covering the materials taught on the field course and via a group project in which students will research a particular group of common UK marine taxa and produce an accessible guide that can be used by the public.

This module introduces the ecology of coastal marine ecosystems and the techniques for studying them through staff-led field visits, seminars, laboratory practicals and computer analysis sessions. It will explore the diversity, occurrence, distribution and energy flow of the plant and animal communities in these ecosystems. We will also consider the morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations of marine organisms to coastal environments. Students are introduced to key skills required for coastal ecology, including learning how to employ classic field techniques, making use of traditional, e.g. corers, and more modern, e.g. video surveying with a remote operated vehicle, equipment. Our focal study area will be the Mersey and Dee estuaries with their range of physical conditions and habitats.

The marine environment presents a particular set of challenges for the organisms which inhabit it and these conditions are constantly changing as a result of human interventions. This module will provide a solid grounding in a number of topics, concepts and issues in the marine environment relating to the physiology and ecology of marine organisms and how they are affected by the activities of humans. Module content will be delivered primarily through interactive lectures supported by computer-based practical exercises and assessed by examination and coursework. Students will be guided to specific sections of textbooks, online resources and scientific papers to shape their learning.

This module aims to develop research and careers skills required by marine biologists, ocean scientists and environmental scientists as they prepare for their final year of study. These aims are achieved through blended learning approach including: interactive tutorials, workshops, and the School of Environmental Sciences careers week. Students will focus on developing skills in critiquing and reading the scientific literature, assessed through a literature review essay. Students will also be introduced to the process of scientific research, learning how to analyse and synthesise real scientific data, create professional display items and write a research report, which is assessed, in standard scientific format. Students will develop knowledge of careers in their field and enhance their employability taking part in an assessment centre exercise and job video interview, which is assessed.

This module provides training in statistics for environmental scientists. We provide training in industry-standard software – R and RStudio – to allow students to explore, present, and analyse data, and we ensure that the practical training is fully supported by explanations of the underlying theory. The practical work is focused on real environmental data. Students will leave with the tools to collect, work with, and present data necessary for scientific writing.

This module provides an introduction to the fundamental evolutionary principles that explain a wide range of animal behaviours. These include sexual selection and animal mating behaviours, the evolution of co-operative societies, as well as conflict and conflict resolution. The lectures will be supplemented with on-line resources. Students will be given guided reading, and regular formative assessment exercises will enable students to evaluate their understanding of the module. The module will be assessed by continuous assessments.

This module describes the physiological problems encountered by animals in their natural environments, and how these problems are overcome.

The setting is environmental, relating lifestyle and physiology to habitat and to the rigours of a potentially hostile environment.

The module will explain how the lifestyles of animals and the independence of animals from environmental disturbance are critically linked to the management of energy flow through their bodies. Physiological mechanisms will be described at all levels of organisation in relation to energetics, temperature, respiration, osmoregulation, and nitrogen excretion. Emphasis will be placed on differentiating the molecular, cellular and system levels of organisation and their integrated role in optimising animal-environmental interactions.

The module is taught through a mixture of asynchronous and synchronous sessions. The former consist of pre-recorded videos, the latter are interactive online sessions to promote student engagement and active learning. Students will also be given guided reading, and regular formative assessment exercises will enable students to evaluate their understanding of the module.

The module will be assessed by Coursework

The ocean is a vital part of how Earth’s climate works, absorbing, storing and transporting heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Microscopic plants and animals in the ocean, known as the plankton, are key to how the ocean works in Earth’s climate system. From the tropics to the poles, we will look at how the ocean currents and tides are formed and how they control where and how much the plankton grow. Larger plankton are better at removing carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean depths, and we will consider why some regions of the ocean are better at supporting the plankton communities that are most efficient at removing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Processes that we will investigate include the formation of the major ocean gyres and tides, the effects of seasons and weather and how these change at different latitudes, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and ocean and the fate of these gases in the sea, the sources of light and nutrients that the plankton need, and the importance of seasonal stratification and turbulence in controlling how and where the plankton can grow. You will learn how to analyse and report on ocean data that we have collected in our research, from the sub-tropical Atlantic to the polar seas. You will use simple computer simulations to investigate how the growth of plankton might change as our climate heats up. We will take a multidisciplinary approach to learning about the ocean, plankton and climate. Whatever your scientific background, we will provide you with the key knowledge of ocean biology, chemistry and physics that you need to understand why a planet needs an ocean in order to support a stable climate. Our teaching uses a combination of lectures, workshops and data analysis laboratories. The module is assessed by 3 pieces of coursework: analysis of data that we have collected during our research expeditions, use of a computer simulation to investigate plankton growth in a warmer climate, and a final quiz to test your knowledge of key concepts.

Students are taught how marine systems are changing due to globally increasing water temperatures and increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, which are affecting the chemistry, physics and ultimately biology of the marine systems at unprecedented rates. These changes are expected to accelerate in the coming decades. Localised anthropogenic stressors such as excess nutrients, plastic debris, trace metals (e.g. mercury, copper), marine heatwaves and/or other emerging contaminants affecting coastal and open ocean waters are covered. Students will gain an understanding of the causes and processes that drive marine pollution issues as well as techniques used to monitor, remediate and/or regulate those issues. Assessment is done through group work, coursework and a final in-person exam.

This module explores the concepts and applications of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to solve contemporary questions in spatial ecology. The module involves applied case studies and practical work designed to develop both an understanding of GIS principles and concepts, such as data acquisition, integration and spatial analyses. The hands-on workshops allow students to learn the basic skills before applying them to a real world authentic assessment.

This module seeks to explain how the process of natural selection underpins the origins of biodiversity.

The module will address the origins of phenotypic diversity, focussing on where heritable phenotypic variation comes from and how it shapes the evolutionary process within species (microevolution).

Having established a basic model for understanding how evolution works, the second part of the module will explain the link between microevolution and evolution above the species level (macroevolution), overviewing the major evolutionary transitions.

The lectures will be supplemented with online resources. Students will be given guided reading.

The module will be assessed by two coursework assessments in semester 1.

This module aims to introduce students to the concepts and principles underlying the dynamic interactions within populations and between species within communities. It will draw upon examples taken from across the globe: pressures on fish stocks; use of natural predators for biological control processes; how mutualistic interactions benefit communities, such as coral reefs and leguminous plants. It will also explore how knowledge and understanding of these species and community interactions can help plan for ecological mitigation and restoration. The lectures will be supplemented with on-line resources. Students will begiven guided reading, and regular formative assessment exercises will enable students to evaluate their understanding of the module. The module will be assessed by coursework.

This module aims to develop several skills, attributes and experiences required by graduates in ecology and marine biology with a focus on careers, an appreciation of the current state of their field and an international perspective. This is achieved through a programme of interactive tutorials and associated activities, directed via the virtual learning environment. In doing so, students will engage with up-to-date research and scientific communication in the fields of ecology, conservation, biodiversity, and marine biology, assessed via an authentic Briefing Note. To complement this, students will undertake a series of activities to boost their employability, tailored to their specific needs, to prepare students for life after graduation, assessed via a reflective online portfolio.

This module aims to further develop students’ experience of the variety of UK biota and the ability to carry out a research project, both achieved through group work on a field class. Working closely with a member of staff, small groups of students will conduct small-scale projects in the laboratory or field. Our hosts are FSC Millport, who provide an outstanding diversity of research opportunities in this historic location for marine biology. Assessed via a group presentation during the field class and a group report submitted later in Semester One, this module provides exceptional preparation for students’ Honours year.

This module consists of a two-semester dissertation research project, carried out individually by a student with supervision by a member of academic staff. Projects can be field-, laboratory- or desk-based studies on a predefined project and the student will learn about project design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results.

This module aims to foster a broad understanding of contemporary theory in behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology and ecophysiology, with special reference to the marine environment. We will consider processes that operate at scales from individuals to populations using a theoretical and quantitative practical approach. This module builds on knowledge acquired about techniques, theory and processes in earlier years and provides the opportunity to experience the integration of current research themes in marine biology.

This module considers the evolution and response of coastal environments to marine and riverine processes and their variations in relation to past, present and future climate change. Attention is given to physical processes and inter-relationships acting along coastlines and coastal changes in response to sea level rise, variations in storms activity, wave climate and sediment supply. Consideration is also given to coastal management and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Topics will be investigated through a combination of lectures, field trips and development of a project aimed at identifying optimum coastal protection schemes for real case studies.

Marine planning is a new approach to the management of the seas and oceans, in the interests of marine nature conservation and the sustainable use of the seas for shipping, energy, fishing, minerals extraction, tourism, etc. It is developing as a means of organising the use of national sea space around the world. This module introduces the theoretical and practical aspects of marine planning for students with interests in spatial planning or marine science and management through a series of lectures. Assessment is by two assignments: a presentation and an essay.

This module will provide students with an insight into physiological mechanisms underpinning adaptations to potentially hostile environmental conditions such as anoxia, toxic sulphide, high hydrostatic pressure and extreme temperatures.

It will also explore the physiological mechanisms related to homeostasis and the evolution of air-breathing, terrestriality and endothermy.

The module will take an integrative approach, considering physiological mechanisms from molecules to cells, tissues, whole animals and the environment.

The module is taught through a mixture of pre-recorded short online lectures and synchronous online seminars and is assessed by coursework.

This module addresses contemporary topics in animal behaviour within an evolutionary framework. It combines current experimental and field research and links behaviour to other areas including ecology, neurobiology, comparative cognition and human evolution. The module is delivered through traditional lectures and a combination of guided and self-directed reading. The module is assessed by continuous assessment.

Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are having a profound impact on our Earth system. This module will introduce students to the fundamental theory behind the global carbon cycle. Students will see how carbon is partitioned between the atmosphere, land and ocean in the contemporary and past Earth system, understand how the ocean stores 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere, and consider the impact of increasing carbon dioxide on the organisms living on land and in the ocean. Teaching is through lectures, workshops focusing on key components of the carbon cycle, and guided reading. Assessment is by two pieces of coursework.

This module uses research-led teaching to explore current thinking in conservation biology;

The module explores patterns of biodiversity and encourages students to critically evaluate the evidence supporting alternative explanations for the extinctions or demise of many animal and plant species;

It also enables students to critically evaluate different approaches to conserving biodiversity;

The module is taught via lectures and student led seminars, in the form of debates. To support independent learning, students will also be guided to sections of specific textbooks and expected to follow up references, primary and secondary sources, listed by staff.

This module uses research-led teaching to critically examine a selection of contemporary themes in evolutionary biology.

In the first part, students will receive training in modern methods for reconstructing the evolutionary history of species and specific traits. In the second part, we will cover a range of up to date and exciting topics in evolutionary biology, delivered by staff who are experts in their field;

Here students will learn about and discuss the cutting edge of important and generally applicable areas of evolutionary thought;

The module is taught via lectures, seminars, structured discussions and computer practicals; and assessed by written assignments.

Conservation of the marine environment is an important but complex issue. In this module we will explore how ecological data are used to monitor, assess and manage marine ecosystems and how this information is then used to underpin marine conservation. Using a series of real-world examples and expert guests from outside of the University you will learn skills used in conservation careers and how conservation really works. The module is delivered through a mix of video lectures, in-person lectures and computer practicals and assessed through a group presentation and an examination.