Course Web Site: http://www.uri.edu/cels/favs/AFS426.html
Course Instructor: Dr. Barry A. Costa-Pierce,
Professor of Fisheries & Aquaculture, FAVS, and Director of
Course Description: The
overall objective of the course is to study the principles of ecology (natural
and social ecology) of a selection of the world’s aquaculture ecosystems. We
study the multi-disciplinary ecological designs, structures, functions, and social
ecologies of integrated aquaculture farming ecosystems of shrimp, tuna, tilapia,
mussels, and salmon. The course is organized around intensive group studies
both in and out of class of the social and ecological cycles, compatibilities, impacts
and sustainabilities of ecological aquaculture systems in diverse societies.
Course Text: Ecological Aquaculture and required readings in class as assigned.
Expectations & Outcomes: Attendance in class is required. Students are expected to attend all classes;
to purchase the required book and to do all assigned readings; to work
together with classmates in group sessions where required; to make oral
presentations to the class on published articles; to submit an individual,
written final term paper on time; and to take a final exam. The instructor will
provide educational materials in the subject area via lectures, articles, and
other materials on the WWW; plus engage students via the WWW. The class
schedule is subject to change as time permits and the need for more discussion
as class interests require.
Student
Evaluations
Attendance 10% Required
Oral
Presentations (2 x 10% each) 20%
Final Project
Term Paper 70%
Class
Schedule
(Meetings are Tuesdays from 4:00 to 6:45PM)
January 23.
Course description and discussion of term paper topics, group processes, submission
and the WWW. Introduction to Ecological Aquaculture. Aquaculture History, Archeology
& Sociology.
January 30.
Ecological Principles & Sustainability Assessments of Aquaculture.
Term
Paper Title and Outline Due.
Feb. 6.
Aquaculture Ecosystems Research & Extension Methodologies.
Topics
of Two Oral Presentations Due.
Feb.
13. Integration of Sustainable Fisheries &
Aquaculture.
Oral presentations.
Feb. 20.
Salmon Aquaculture Ecosystems.
Oral presentations.
Introduction and Social
Aspects due.
Feb. 27. Guest
lecture: Prof. Mike Rice: Sustainable Shellfish Aquaculture Ecosystems.
March
6. No Class. Work on Your Term Papers.
March 13.
Shrimp Aquaculture Ecosystems.
Oral presentations.
March 20.
No class – Spring Break.
March 27.
Tuna Aquaculture Ecosystems.
Oral presentations.
Technical Aspects due.
April 3.
Village Aquaculture Ecosystems in
Oral presentations.
April 10.
Aquaculture Ecosystems for Arid lands and
Oral presentations.
Problems and
Opportunities due.
April 17.
Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture Ecosystems.
Oral presentations.
Draft reports due.
April 24.
Field Trip to American Mussel Harvesters, Inc.,
May 1.
Term Papers Due.
The
Class Term Paper Projects
Term
paper projects will be formulated according to student interests during the
first week of classes. Projects are to be completely as a team (2-5, depending
on class size) of persons working together and separately on a final report on
an ecological aquaculture topic of their choice, chosen from the list below.
Topics of the Class Projects Term Papers
Tim
will be made in each class to interact as a group and one-to-one with the
instructor in individualized learning on your project. Each of you is responsible
for conducting discussions on the required aspects of the topic with team
members and bringing new materials to the group. Each participant must
bring into the team meeting new written and copied materials for discussion
each week. These materials advance progress towards submission of a final
report.
However,
your grade is determined by your submissions to me. Each student submits THEIR
OWN SECTIONS OF THE REPORT AND THEIR OWN FINAL REPORT. It is important that
each student understand that they alone are responsible for researching (with
the help of the instructor and other students) the materials for the final
report, and bringing new ideas and materials to the group in and out of class.
You are not to copy each other or the WWW postings — I use sophisticated
software to detect all plagiarism in reports — but you can use the same resource
materials. Highest grades on the reports, however, will demonstrate excellent
use of individually gathered and researched reports.
The
goals of the projects are to use the WWW and the science literature to develop
a more effective educational experience for students that is both
individualized and global, but maintains the rigor and very high scientific
standards of the
Final
Report Structure
Every
report has to have an Abstract, visit Write a Smashing Abstract!
1. Title and Outline.
2. Introduction: The setting: the overall issues and study objectives.
3. Social Aspects. Social capital, demographics, culture, economy, natural
resource base.
4. Technical Aspects. Aquaculture production network, technologies.
5. Problems and Constraints.
Social, political, economic, technical constraints to sustainability. Describe
the problems: origins, development, the way it is being address at present.
6. Opportunities. The
"basket of options" available to overcome problems and constraints.
7. Recommendations. Ranked
in order of importance, but comprehensive.
8. References. Complete
resource documentation of literature and WWW resources.
Due Dates
for Report Assignments
There
are six (6) assignments in this course, all of which are written sections of a
final class project. Each student will work in teams on their class project but
will submit individual assignments, draft, and final reports on the schedule
detailed below. For the assignments, each one must be submitted by e-mail attachments
so that projects can be updated regularly on the class WWW pages that the
course instructor will maintain for each project (http://www.uri.edu/cels/favs/SEALAB.html).
|
Assignment Sections |
Percentages of Grade |
Due Dates |
|
1.
Title & Outline |
5 |
January
30. |
|
2.
Introduction & Social Aspects |
10 |
February
20. |
|
3.
Technical Aspects |
20 |
March
27. |
|
4.
Problems & Opportunities |
10 |
April
10. |
|
5.
Draft Individual Final Reports |
10 |
April
17. |
|
6.
Individual Final Reports |
15 |
Last
Day of Classes, May 1. |
|
TOTAL REPORT |
70% of grade |
|
POLICY ON ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES
1. Assignments are due no later than the beginning
of class.
2. If you do not meet that deadline, I will deduct
one letter grade off the grade of the assignment IF the assignment is received
by the beginning of the NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED CLASS.
3. I will accept an assignment late two class
periods, but will deduct another grade off.
4. I will accept assignments that are late TWO
CLASS PERIODS ONLY. All assignments not submitted by the two class periods
after it is due it will be assigned a grade of "zero". Do not even
attempt to submit these, please.
5. If you are ill or have a family emergency, it is
YOUR responsibility to get a message to me by e-mail or phone as soon as
possible, and BEFORE the assignment is due. If I don't hear from you two
days after the assignment is due, the only way you'll be able to convince
me to reconsider your situation is by bring in a letter from a doctor (having
the doctor's phone number).
6. All assignments must be typed and printed on a
word processor with your name on it, and the title and headings and subheadings
of the report written clearly.
7. All reports submitted must be in grammatically
correct English, be
spell checked, and proofed before
submission. While you are welcome to discuss assignments with your classmates,
you are to write your own assignments individually.
8. Submission of identical or nearly identical
answers in my judgment will result in these persons being assigned a
grade of "zero"; no exceptions.