The marine biology study period comprises 49 so-called "weekly hours" per term and ends with the diploma degree ("Diplom"). The lessons are organised in close co-operation with the Institute of Baltic Research in Warnemünde, and their topics comply with ongoing major research activities in marine biology in order to ensure a modern formation oriented at the current requirements. Training courses in field stations and onboard research ships, excursions, laboratory and field experiments and student research projects provide good practical abilities during the studies. In addition, existing exchange programs facilitate an international student mobility.
The formation in marine biologyis predominantly oriented
towards ecology topics. It takes place in the main study
period, and is based on an introductory study period which
includes zoology and botany lessons. However, the complexity
of the marine environment requires additional knowledge in
microbiology, physical oceanography, marine chemistry,
geochemistry and sedimentology. The following curriculum
describes in detail the exigencies a marine biologist has to
fulfill. In general, a "Diplom" degree will however not
suffice for a durable job at a marine biological institute.
Instead, it forms the background needed for post-graduate
qualification studies like e.g. a PhD work, which usually is a
project-related part-time position or a scholarship. The
"Diplom" formation thus enables to address simple ecological
problems in a self-dependent approach, particularly in applied
research and in jobs other than at research institutes that
need to comply with international standards, like e.g.
evironmental monitoring and coastal zone management.
The choice of subsidiary academics has a decisive influence
on the subsequent qualilfication for a specific field of work.
Among the non-biological subsidiaries, physical oceanography
and marine chemistry are highly recommended. Environment
protection laws also are a valuable option. For the biological
subsidiaries, the emphasis can be placed on different spatial
and structural scales, with either botanics, zoology,
microbiology, or genetics, cell biology or molecular biology.
The main goal of this formation is to enable students to carry
out scientific work in a self-dependent way. A marine
biologist must be able to understand complex systems and to
rapidly get acquainted with new fields of activities. Being a
good team player and willing to work on an interdisciplinary
level also are important prerequisites. Hence, this curriculum
includes many topics that are closely linked to neighbouring
disciplines.
The level of fact knowledge that is required to comply with
these conditions is, of course, debatable. Practical
proficiency also is a crucial element, but lacking background
knowledge may severely impede interdisciplinary work. The
range of topics listed here show how versatile a marine
biologist has to be nowadays - and it will be difficult to
attain deeper expertise in all of them. Many of them are
essential, some are rather peripheral skills that can be
extended during post-graduate studies. However, this
discrimination was omitted here as it strongly depends on
individual preferences.
At the beginning of a scientific education, the impression
may emerge that it is important to accumulate a high amount of
textbook knowlede. The formation will however show that a
scientific progress can only be achieved with some creativity
and the ability to develop and to pursue new ideas. Todays
students need to produce results that are still unknown to
their present generation of instructors. Working in science is
an enjoyable occupation which requires enthusiastic
researchers.
The following curriculum for marine biology as main academics is subdivided into a part with theoretical knowledge and a list of practical skills
A postgraduate marine biologist should be able to express the following theoretical considerations, adapt them to concise situations and possess the technical knowledge listed below:
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Abiotic factors |
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Licht intensity, temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen concentrations in different marine habitats, turbulence levels, Reynolds numbers, grain sizes and chemical composition of sediments, porosity, redox-conditions and trace elements |
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Organisms |
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Morphology of predominant marine organisms, systematics of heterotrophic and autotrophic organisms, autecology of common Baltic and North Sea species, geographical distribution, taxonomical skills |
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Biomass |
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Gravimetrical, volumetrical and biochemical methods of biomass determination, conversion factors, standing stocks for different marine habitats, size spectra |
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Diversity |
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Knowledge of different diversity indices, e.g. Shannon-Weaver, Sanders, Hurlbert; equity and common range of these values |
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Habitats and communities |
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Pelagial, benthal, phytal, main characteristics of typical habitats, synecology, cluster analysis, dendrograms, Bray-Curtis index, MDS-plots |
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Osmoregulation |
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homoio- and poikilo-osmotic fauna, Na+ transport, ion concentration regulation |
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Temperature |
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Q10 rule, Arrhenius equation, psychro-, meso-, and thermophilic abilities, freezing resistance |
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Oxygen |
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Catabolism, function of respiratory chains, RQ, adaptations to oxygen deficciency, oxy-conformism, oxy-regulation, lethal levels of different taxa, anaerobiosis |
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Sulphide |
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Origin and concentration levels, detoxification mechanisms, SOD reaction, symbiosis |
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Pressure |
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Effects of pressure on a molecular scale, dissolved gasses, barophilic organisms |
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Photosynthesisys |
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Biochemical background, light, nutrient supply and uptake kinetics, P/I curves |
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Primary production in the oceans |
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Concept of critical depth, extent of the surface layer in different habitats, new and regenerated production, PQ, nutrient sources and limitations, f-ratio, export production, annual cycles |
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Population dynamics |
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Determination of cohorts, reproductive cycles, larval dispersal strategies, Boysen-Jensen equation, production and elimination |
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Growth kinetics |
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Michaelis-Menten kinetics, Bertalanffy equation, growth limitation (Liebig, Monod) |
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Microbial loop |
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DOC, electro-enzymes, bacteria, ciliates and flagellates, virusses |
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Energy fluxes and ecological efficiency |
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Energy flux equation of Crisp, ecological efficiency of different feeding strategies (A/C, C/P), RQ values |
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1st and 2nd Fick law, transport equations |
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Sedimentation and resuspension |
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Stoke's law, Gibbs equation, seasonal sedimentation patterns, Hjulström plot, bed roughness, critical shear stress, aggregate formation types, aggregate formationand disaggregation on density discontinuities, micro-niches, exopolymers EPS |
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Hydrodynamics at interfaces |
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von Karman-Prandtl equation, Kolmogoroff length scales, dissipation energy, diffusive sublayer, viscous sublayer, logarithmic layer |
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Bioturbation |
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Animal-sediment interactions, mixing coefficients for particles and solutes, Kbio, Db, natural and artificial tracers |
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Vertical migraton |
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Zooplankton strategies, seasonal and diurnal rhythms |
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Lateral advection |
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Conveyor belt, regional flow patterns, deep water formation, benthic nepheloid layers, sinks, residence times, fluvial input, upwelling, current riding, cross-shelf transport |
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Intra and Interspecies interactions |
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Competition |
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Predator-prey ratio |
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Epibiosis, symbiosis, parasitism |
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Material cycles |
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Carbon cycle |
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Nitrogen cycle |
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Sulphur cycle |
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Turnover of phosphate, iron and other trace metals |
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Benthic-pelagic coupling |
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Size-spectrum theory |
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Size efficiency hypothesis, Schwinghammer plot, size class - activity relations |
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Ecosystem theory |
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Animal-sediment interaction, mixing coefficients for particle and solute transport, Kbio, Db, natural and artificial tracers |
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Vertical migration |
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Stability criteria |
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Energy flux concept |
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Baltic |
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North Sea and Wadden Sea |
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Coastal systems |
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Sandy beaches and rocky shores |
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Lagoons and coves |
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River estuaries |
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Mangroves |
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Coral reefs |
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Polar oceans |
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Open ocean and shelf sea |
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Upwelling zones |
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Deep sea |
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Hot vents |
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Cold seeps |
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Ressource exploitation |
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Aquaculture, fisheries, crude materials |
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Eutrophication |
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River discharge mechanisms and magnitude of anthropogenic input |
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Pollution |
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Organic and anorganic pollutants and their effect on the oceans, toxicity and resistance, threshold levels, offshore dumping |
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Fouling |
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Problems linked to the use of anti-fouling paint, introduction of new species |
A marine biologist should be able to use the following methods:
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Analytics |
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Dissection techniques, dying methods, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphate, silicate, and oxygen detection in water samples, Redox, porosity measurements, grain size analysis, AFDW (ash-free dry weight), Corg and Norg analysis, ATP |
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Operating instruments |
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Handling of optical devices such as microscopes, binocular microscopes, cameras, plankton nets, bottom grabs, use of instruments at sea |
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Mathematics |
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Calculations using the exponential function, PC skills, cluster analysis, statistics |
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Analytics |
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Freezing resistance, ETS method, Winkler oxygen quantification, sulphide analysis, simple enzymatic tests |
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Operating instruments |
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Respiratory chambers, culture and livestock keeping methods (temperature control units) |
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Mathematics |
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Calculations using the exponential function, PC skills, cluster analysis, statistics |
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Analytics |
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C14 method, interpretation of 15N data, and methods from "structural analysis" |
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Operating instruments |
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Microalgae cultivation, scintillation counter, microelectrodes, light intensity |
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Mathematics |
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Calculations using the exponential function, PC skills, cluster analysis, statistics |
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Analytics |
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Enzyme tests, respiration measurements, directe calorimetry, bomb calorimetry, urea analysis |
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Operating instruments |
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Epifluorescence, interference and phase contrast microscopes, dying techniques, picture analysis, and methods from "primary production" |
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Mathematics |
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Distribution statistics, spreadsheet operations, time-series interpretation, and methodes from "structural analysis" |
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Analytics |
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Interpretation of 210Pb and 234Th profiles, Br- method |
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Operating instruments |
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Particle trap technique, particle camera, flume channel, flow sensors, digital image analysis, operation of multinets, underwater-photography |
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Mathematics |
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Using analytical solutions to simple differential equations, simple modelling of mixing coefficients |
The items "ecological theory", "regional marine biology" and "applied marine biology" require no additional methods that could be carried out by a marine biologist on his own. More demanding methods, e.g. HPLC (high pressurel liquid chromatography) or AAS (atom absorbtion spectrometry), can only be demonstrated during the studies. The analytical capabilities have to be refined in post-graduation studies (PhD) or in interdisciplinary collaboration with e.g. marine chemists.
Detailed information about studying in Rostock can be found at
the student affairs office of the Biosciences institute:
http://www.biologie.uni-rostock.de/studium/index.html