Biological Oceanography Research Focus

Biological oceanography is one of the research areas that graduate students can pursue in the Department of Marine Sciences.

Faculty

Graduate students work directly with our faculty to design a plan of study that fits their research and career goals. We have a broad range of interests, including:

  • Benthic population and community ecology.
  • Marine invasive species ecology.
  • Plankton ecology and evolution.
  • Nutrient dynamics.
  • Effects of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters.
  • Biogeochemistry of microbial mats.
  • Ecology and biomechanics of shellfish feeding.
  • Algal physiology.
  • Role of marine protected areas in fish ecology.

Our faculty use both field observations and laboratory experiments to obtain insights into coastal zone processes. Field programs range from coastal Brazil to New Zealand and from Long Island Sound to the Irish Sea.

Laboratory techniques include applications of image analysis, high performance liquid chromatography, microelectrodes, video endoscopy, molecular biology, and fluorescence microscopy, along with traditional oceanographic methods for measuring materials and fluxes in the coastal environment.

Courses

Our program combines traditional core courses in the oceanographic subdisciplines with interdisciplinary advanced offerings and intensive seminar courses. We offer the following biological oceanography courses:

  • MARN 5010 Biological Oceanography
  • MARN 5012 Marine Invertebrate Biology
  • MARN 5014 Marine Phytoplankton Ecology and Physiology
  • MARN 5015 Molecular Approach to Biological Oceanography
  • MARN 5017 Plankton Ecology
  • MARN 5018 Ecology of Fishes
  • MARN 5032 Coastal Pollution and Bioremediation
  • MARN 6010 Advanced Biological Oceanography — Pelagic Processes
  • MARN 6011 Advanced Biological Oceanography — Benthic Processes

Contact Us

For more information, please contact Hans Dam, professor of marine sciences:

Phone: 860-405-9098
hans.dam@uconn.edu