General Topics on Marine Resources

Course ID: M37010EX

Credits: 2

Objective: The aims of this class are to discuss the characteristics of marine resources (especially biological resources), and their complexities in exploitations and management. The biological resources are renewable, and their persistence and productive potential are closely linked to the variability of the environment and human exploitation. The sustainability of marine resources will be threatened if their characteristics could not be understood. However, even if their characteristics are understood, their sustainability still cannot be guaranteed if human exploitation is inadequate. This class will provide broad discussions on the characteristics of marine biological resources, their interactions with the physical environment, and human exploitation. It is expected that concepts on the exploitation and sustainable use of marine renewable resources be established for students attended.

Course Prerequisites: None

Outline:

Lectures 1-2: Concerns about the marine ecosystem Renewable vs. non-renewable resources Marine resources: biological vs. non-biological resources Utilization of marine resources and problems encountered 

Lecture 3: From primary production to fisheries production Production processes Distributions, temporal and spatial variations in primary production Biological and physical controls of primary production 

Lecture 4: Food chain, food web, and food pyramid Energy flow and food web; energy budget Productivity of land vs. sea Trophic level, transfer efficiency and fish production Comparison among different marine ecosystems Values of marine biological resources 

Lecture 5: Growth,Survival and Life history patterns of marine fish Populations Population regulation 

Lecture 6: Why do fish population vary? Russell equation and early life dynamics Concepts of sustainable and maximum sustainable yields 

Lecture 7: Recruitment dynamics and fluctuations of marine fish

Teaching Method:  powerpoint presentation 

Reference:  

Text book: Marine ecological processes. (1995). Valiela, I. (ed.) Springer. 2nd edition. 685 pp. 

Exploitable Marine Ecosystems: their behaviour and management. (1996). Laevastu, T., Alverson, D.L. and Marasco, R.J. (eds.). Fishing New Books. 321 pp. 

The effects of fishing on marine ecosystems and communities. (1999). Hall, S.J. (ed.). Blackwell Science. 273 pp. 

海洋生態學 (1999 修訂版) 邵廣昭 著 國立編譯館. 476 pp. 

Marine Fisheries Ecology. (2001). Jennings, S., Kaiser, M.J. and Reynolds, J.D. (eds.) Blackwell Science. 417 pp. 

Handbook of Fish Biology and Fisheries. (2002). Volume 2: Fisheries. Hart, P.J.B. and Reynolds, J.D. (eds.). 410 pp. 

Marine Conservation Biology. (2005). Norse, E.A. and Crowder, L.B. (eds.). Island Press. Washington. 470pp. 

海洋資源管理:理論與實務 (2008). 莊慶達等 (7位作者). 五南出版社. 台北. 192頁.

Course Schedule (subject to change): as schedule

Evaluation: 

mid-term:50% 

final exam:50%