BIOL 3466 Coastal Ecosystems & Resource Management
Course Description
This course will provide students with an understanding of the characteristics of the major coastal ecosystems of the Caribbean and adjacent regions. It emphasises the ecological processes that determine resource values and functions and highlights the reasons for habitat and resource degradation. The course examines the principles and practices of coastal ecosystem management and reviews the major coastal management initiatives in the region. It includes field surveys which cover many of the issues covered in the lectures. Students are introduced to ecosystems as resources and some basic management principles are also introduced. For each ecosystem the goods, services and attributes are described. Students are additionally exposed to a number of management tools and applications using relevant Caribbean examples.