Marine Ecology

Marine ecology

The ocean is the largest biome on the biosphere, and the place where life first evolved. Life in a viscous fluid, such as seawater, imposed particular constraints on the structure and functioning of ecosystems, impinging on all relevant aspects of ecology, including the spatial and time scales of variability, the dispersal of organisms, and the connectivity between populations and ecosystems.
The Marine Ecology is the scientific study of marine-life habitat, populations, and interactions among organisms and the surrounding environment including their abiotic and biotic features.
Marine ecology is a subset of the study of marine biology and includes observations at the biochemical, cellular, individual, and community levels as well as the study of marine ecosystems and the biosphere.
The course of Marine Ecology provides an introduction to ecology focuses on specific marine ecological concept, covering interactions between marine organisms and the environment at scales of populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Outline contents

• Introduction
• General concepts in ecology applied to marine ecology: definitions, ecological factors, production, productivity, trophic webs, interspecific relations, competition, predation, zonation of organisms,...
• Ecology of the some marine communities: abyssal zones, coral reefs, vents, seagrass
• A case study: the Mediterranean Sea (this bassin is ideal to understand the basic concepts in Marine ecology (colonization, climax, invasive species...)

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

CHAPTER 1 Introduction

• What is a model?
• Why do we need models?

• Conceptual model
• Mathematical model formulation
• Formulation of ecological interactions
• Chemical reactions
• Inhibition
• Coupled model equations
• Impact of physical conditions

• Taonomy of spatial models
• Spatial boundary conditions
• Example: competitive interactions in a lattice model

• In situ measurement
• Literature-Derived parameters
• Calib_ters.43

• Initial conditions
• Analytical solutions of differential equations
• Numerical solution of differential equations
• Steady-state and stability analysis

• Dimensional homogeneity and consistency of units
• Conservation of energy and mass
• Testing the correctness of the model solution
• Testing the internal logic of the model
• Model verification
• Model validity
• Model sensitivity
• Example_74
• Example of the conservation principle: a mass budget of a marine bay

• Strategic versus tactic models
• Continuous and discrete time models
• Deterministic and stochastic models
• Density-biomass specific models
• Physiological - individual-based - population - ecosystem models
• Example: growth of a Daphnia individual

• Taxonomy of differential equations
• Solving difference equations

Marine ecology

The course will

• give a basic knowledge of ecological characteristics and processes in the marine environment.
• show the importance, complexity and fragile aspects of different types of marine habitats.

• be abble to explain the factors that determine the spatial and temporal distributions and abundance populations and communities of marine organisms in relation with biotic and abiotic factors.
• be abble to apply ecological principles
• be abble to work constructively both independently and collaboratively and communicate effectively about Marine Ecology (issues and ideas) using language that can be understood by the public and scientists.
• use some methods applied in marine ecology during the field trip.
• develop ability to collect, analyse and interpret marine ecological data.

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

The main aim of this course is to learn how to conceptualize, parameterize and implement mathematical models of marine biogeochemical and ecological processes

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

Students should

• develop testable alternative hypotheses for the causes underlying the observed patterns.
• design and carry out appropriate empirical tests of the predictions of hypotheses to explain the observed patterns.
• describe spatio-temporal patterns in marine populations and communities, and investigate the underlying processes producing such patterns at multiple scales.

• exploring theories and models in marine ecology;
• identifying and describing patterns and causal processes in marine ecosystems.
• conducting observational and experimental ecological research;

Marine ecology

A  basic knowledge of the concepts in ecology

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

None. The mathematics used will be quiet elementary

Marine ecology

• Lectures and sessions of discussion

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

The half part of the time will be devoted to the implementation of very simple examples in order to get familliar with models implementation

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

A week in the field. The student will receive a question at the beginning of the week. It will have to develop a measurement and sampling protocol to meet them.
The student will be guided throughout the week through discussions with the supervisors.

Marine ecology

Courses in face-to-face in english
The attention of the student is regularly requested during tutorial classes.
Field trip at STARESO (Calvi-Corse)
Stage MASTER Oceano Bloc 1:  mai 2021



 

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

1.5 ECTS : theory
1.5 ECTS : Exercises

Marine ecology

The ppt constitute the basis of the course, they contain the essential information and not all of the oral comments given during the course.
The ppt are accessible on myUlg or given at the end of each course. The ppts, videos, articles are in English, the whole course is given in English.

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

Available

Marine ecology

The evaluation is based on 2 parts:
1. An oral exam (after a preparation with ppts). (70 % of the total score) (2 questions).
The student can answer in english or in french
 
> Online oral examination (update 10/12/2020)

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

Examination:
A homework will be required and is due for January 15th.
For those who failed in January, another exam will be planned in August/September.  

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

A dissertation of 10 minutes based on the presentation is graded not only on its content but also on its quality , clarity, respect of the timing.
An oral presentation, organized at the end of the field trip. The student will have to describe to the whole class in about ten minutes the activities of the week with an introduction, objectives, the results obtained, a discussion. He-she must also be able to take a critical look at his experimental approach.

Marine ecology

Field trip During the field trip (station STARESO of the University of Liège- Calvi Corsica) the concepts to a practical study of the distribution of the marine organisms in relation to biotic and abiotic factors are applied.
These approaches are made in snorkelling, in scuba diving* followed by determinations under binocular, photographic documents taken by the student.
*not compulsory

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

During the field trip (station STARESO of the University of Liège- Calvi Corsica) the concepts to a practical study of the distribution of the marine organisms in relation to biotic and abiotic factors are applied.
These approaches are made in snorkelling, in scuba diving followed by determinations under binocular, photographic documents taken by the student.
* non obligatoire, en règle de formalité (certificat médical, brevet...)

Marine ecology

• Respect class times.
• If you contact the secretary or the professor by e-mail,  do not expect the replies to be immediate. Please, be patient.
• University-assigned student e-mail is the Official means of communication with all students.

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

None

Marine ecology

Prof Sylvie Gobert Océanologie Institut de Chimie. B6c-2/49 Tél: 04 3663329 e-mail:sylvie.gobert@uliege.be                                      
Secretariat M Lunetta: 04 366 50 62
https://www.facebook.com/oceanbioulg/ http://labos.ulg.ac.be/oceanologie/ http://www.stareso.ulg.ac.be/
Dr Mathieu Poulicek Unite d'Ecologie Marine, Laboratoire d'Ecologie animale et d'Ecotoxicologie Tél: 04 3665067 e-mail: mpoulicek@uliege.be

• Meeting with my secretary: Mrs Mariella Lunetta is in her office  (B6C, room 1/21 , Sart Tilman) the Tuesday from 8:30 -10:30 and the Thursday from 13:30-15:00 .
• Meeting with me: I will make time available during and directly after the classes for your questions. I rarely can be available for unscheduled meeting. To make appointment , call 04 366 50 62 (Mrs Lunetta) or send an email: M.Lunetta@uliege.be.
• My malbox is in the room 2/48.

Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling

Marilaure Grégoire,
MAST research group
Department of Astrophysics, Geophysics and Oceanography (AGO)
e-mail : mgregoire@uliege.be