Introduction, Lab Safety, Policies and Procedures, Metric Measurements

Spring 2014

OCN 201L: Science of the Sea Lab

Section 24393

Friday: 8:30-11:20 am, BLD 5, R108

Tentative Schedule

Website: http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/facstaff/miliefsky-m/OceanLab.html

Month / Date / LAB /

Topic

Jan / 17 / 01 /

Introduction, Lab Safety, Policies and Procedures, Metric Measurements

COMMENTS: This lab introduces you to the upcoming lab topics. We'll spend some time finding out about you and will provide essential orientation information including attendance, participation, assignment deadline and grading standards.

Jan / 24 / 02 /

Field Trip: Waihe’e Tunnel

COMMENTS: Study the hydrologic cycle from inside Waihe’e Tunnel

Jan / 31 / 03 / Atmosphere and Ocean Circulation
COMMENTS: Gather information on surface currents using drifter buoys.
Feb / 7 / 04 / CMORE: Ocean Conveyor Belt
COMMENTS: Thermohaline circulation—it’s about salt, temperature, and density moving around the globe.
Feb / 14 / 05 / Field Trip: Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
Be there 9am.
COMMENTS: We are living near a hot spot and are surrounded by a ring of fire. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides are on their way. We will visit the PTWC and learn more about our dynamic planet and how these events are monitored.
Feb / 21 / 06 /

Plankton Investigation

COMMENTS: A plankton tow will be brought in to lab to observe plankton under the dissecting scope and to identify marine organisms.

Feb / 28 / 07 /

Identification of algae, coral, other marine invertebrates & vertebrates + Coral Video

COMMENTS: Animal collection samples will be available for view. Blue Planet Video: Coral Seas

Mar / 7 / 08 / Field Trip: Waikiki Aquarium
COMMENTS: Explore the aquarium on a scavenger hunt.
Mar / 14 / 09 / Field Trip: Fish Auction—5:45am
COMMENTS: Wake up early or don’t bother going to bed. Come and explore what our fishing fleet brings in and see the process of how fish makes it to your market.
Mar / 21 / 10 / Fisheries MPA
COMMENTS: Manage a local shoreline fisheries
Apr / 4 / 11 / Geologic Features: Sediment
COMMENTS: Test and identify the basic composition of beach sand from various Hawaiian islands
Apr / 11 / 12 / Deep Sea Features & Blue Planet video: The Deep
COMMENTS: Travel to Loihi on the Pisces IV and create a bathymetric map.
Apr / 25 / 13 / CMORE: Ocean acidification
COMMENTS: Pollution comes in many forms. We once thought that the ocean is big and well mixed, so we can dump what we want into it. The popular expression “the solution to pollution is dilution” is incorrect. In today’s lab we will learn why this expression is wrong and how acid, released from fossil fuels or volcanic emissions, and contributes to the decline of our reef.
Note: next lab- please bring in a trash bag (grocery bag size) filled with marine debris that you collected from the beach. Take a picture of you at the beach collecting trash!
May / 2 / 14 / CMORE: Marine Debris (bring in beach trash)
COMMENTS: Investigate the causes of marine debris and determine its effect on the environment.

All assignments are due the following lab time, except for LAB 14, which is due in lab that day.

There will be no make up labs.

Lab assignments subject to change with prior notice.