COURSE UNIT TITLE

: MARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
MCP 5026 MARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY ELECTIVE 2 0 0 9

Offered By

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences

Level of Course Unit

Second Cycle Programmes (Master's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR LÜTFI TOLGA GÖNÜL

Offered to

MARINE CHEMISTRY
MARINE CHEMISTRY

Course Objective

This course focuses on the ocean's role in global biogeochemical cycling of selected elements. The impact of humans on the transport of elements within these cycles is given special emphasis. It includes a description of the chemical composition of seawater from the dual perspectives of elemental speciation and the impact of solutes on the physical behaviour of water. The role of the sediments in determining the chemical composition of seawater is discussed from both equilibrium and kinetic perspectives. The origin of petroleum and mechanisms of radioactive decay are given in this course.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   1) will be able to understand biogeochemical controls in the ocean and be able to quantify their impact on marine systems
2   2) will be able to make predictions regarding the fate of material in the marine environment
3   3) will be able to outline the major fluxes of C, N and P in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
4   4) will be able to describe the major biological and biogeochemical processes that drive nutrient cycles

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 1) Molecular structure of water, the phases of water, hydrogen bonding and effect of hydrogen bonding on the physical behaviour of water, the effect of salt on the physical properties of water
2 2) The conservative nature of the major ions, global heat and water balance, temporal and spatial variations in salinity, speciation in seawater, major ions, trace metals, organic matter, acid and bases
3 3) Dissolved gases in seawater
4 4) Organic matter: Production and destruction
5 5) Vertical and horizontal segregation of the biolimiting elements
6 6) Trace metals in seawater and diagenesis
7 7) Mid-term exam
8 8) Classification of sediments, evaporites
9 9) Iron-manganese nodules
10 10) Other hydrogenous minerals
11 11) Global pattern of sediment distribution
12 12) Particulate and dissolved organic matter
13 13) The origin of petroleum in the marine environment
14 14) Assignment

Recomended or Required Reading

-Course notes will be circulated during the class.

1) Chester R., Jickells T., Marine Geochemistry, Wiley-Blackwell, 3rd ed., 2012, 420p. (ISBN: 978-1-118-34907-6)

2) Thorpe S. A., Steele J.H., Turekian K.K., Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry, A Derivative of Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences, Academic Press Elsevier, 2nd ed., 2010, 647p. (ISBN: 978-0-08-096483-6)

3) Libes S., Introduction to Marine Biogeochemistry, Academic Press Elsevier, 2nd ed., 2009, 928p. (ISBN: 978-0-12-088530-5)

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

The course is taught in a lecture, class presentation and discussion format. All class members are expected to attend both the lecture and take part in the discussion sessions. Besides the taught lecture, group presentations are to be prepared by the groups assigned for that week and presented to open a discussion session.

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 ASG ASSIGNMENT
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.25 + ASG *0.25 +FIN *0.50
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.25 + ASG *0.25 +RST *0.50


*** Resit Exam is Not Administered in Institutions Where Resit is not Applicable.

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

To be announced.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

Reading the related parts of the course material each week, attending the course and participating in class discussions are the requirements of the course. Any unethical behavior that occurs either in presentations or in exams will be dealt with as outlined in school policy. Participation is obligatory 75% of lectures.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Address: Dokuz Eylul University, Institute of Marine Sciences & Technology, Haydar Aliyev Bul., No:32, 35340, Inciraltı-Izmir, Turkey

Phone: +90 (232) 278 5565 - 150

E-mail: tolga.gonul@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Monday-Wednesday
13:00-15:00

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 13 2 26
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 13 4 52
Preparation for midterm exam 1 25 25
Preparing assignments 1 42 42
Field study 1 48 48
Preparation for final exam 1 25 25
Final 1 3 3
Midterm 1 3 3
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 224

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11
LO.133434243344
LO.244434343244
LO.343434243344
LO.443434243344

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

Copyright 2015 DEÜ. BİD

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