A course for the public entitled ‘Introduction to Marine Biology’ was recently held by the University’s Department of Biology.
Among the topics covered were the marine environment and the physical, chemical and biological factors that affect the lives of marine plants and animals; characteristic Mediterranean shallow water habitats; aspects of marine pollution; the ecology of the Mediterranean Sea and what makes it different from the oceans; shores and shore life; fisheries and aquaculture and their socio-economic contribution and environmental sustainability; dolphins, whales, marine turtles, sharks and rays; aspects of marine conservation biology including threatened marine species, climate change, the changing marine biodiversity, and jellyfish and plankton blooms.
Apart from lectures, participants benefited from field studies led by the tutors. The aim was to illustrate and expand upon some of the topics covered.
This year the field studies concerned the biota of Maltese rocky shores and the adjacent shallow water and a visit was conducted to a local conservation area where the reasons why marine conservation areas are set up and how they need to be managed in knowledgeable and effective ways were demonstrated to participants.
The course was coordinated by Adriana Vella, who also lectured in the course together with Joseph Borg, Carmelo Agius and Patrick Schembri.
For further information on next year’s course, e-mail Dr Vella on adriana.vella@um.edu.mt or contact Beverly Fenech on 2340 2272.