This course provides an introductory overview into marine conservation and marine ecology, initially setting the context and then identifying the issues faced before looking at different conservation techniques.
Delivered via our online learning system, you can work through the following 5 modules at your own speed, then test your understanding via the quizzes at the end of each module and the exam at the end of the course.
- The Blue Planet : Why are the oceans important and how do they help the whole planet to sustain life? What are the chemical and physical limitations of the oceans and how does this affect marine species?
- Marine Ecosystems: A look at how the previously identified physical factors affect distribution of marine life and an examination of the different ecosystems throughout the Earth’s oceans.
- Marine Biodiversity: An introduction to the range of species found throughout the planet’s ocean ecosystems and how the ocean environment drives speciation.
- The State of the Reefs: What are the threats posed to the earth’s marine ecosystems and particularly the coral reefs throughout the tropical regions? Whether caused naturally or by man, the health of the oceans is declining and we identify and examine the threats in this section.
- Marine Conservation: What techniques and actions can be taken to mitigate these threats? Is marine conservation just a drop in the ocean?