JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Lecturer: Dr
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JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation University of Nairobi Department of Animal Production Course outline: JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Lecturer: Dr. Muchai M. Email ([email protected]) 0722-286-133 Purpose of the Course The students should be able to demonstrate an understanding and application of marine ecology and biodiversity conservation in a management context. The student should be able to link ecology and biodiversity conservation to develop a solid foundation in managing fisheries resources. Course Content • Overview of marine resources. (WEEK 1) • Marine Ecology & Habitats. (WEEK 2) • Subsistence and economic exploitation of marine resources. (WEEK 3) • Status of marine resources. (WEEK 4) • Threats to marine resources: anthropogenic and natural threats, climate change. (WEEK 5) • Management and conservation strategies: protected areas, ecosystem restoration, and ecosystem approach in management. (WEEK 6) • Integrated coastal zone Management (ICZM). (WEEK 7) • Relevant legislation and conventions including: Environmental Management and Coordination Act – 199 (EMCA 99), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). (WEEK 8) • CAT (WEEK 9) • Practical (WEEK 10). Expected Learning Outcomes of the Course The expected learning outcomes of the course should include: i. Capacity and ability to interpret, communicate, and provide solutions to ecology, biodiversity and conservation problems. ii. Competence in acquisition of broad scale knowledge on theory and practice of ecology, biodiversity and conservation. iii. Ability to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the class to sustainably conserve and manage fisheries. Mode of Delivery The course shall be delivered through scheduled lectures, case studies, discovery learning, problem-based learning, review of the scientific literature, experiential learning, group-based © Muchai/UoN – Dept. of Clinical Studies. Marine Ecol, Biodiv & Consv. 2019. JFA 304 Page 1 of 69 JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation learning, independent studies, Oral presentations by students; computer and field exercises; e- learning, assignments, field and laboratory practical, class discussions, student presentations on contemporary topics, essays, term papers. Instructional Materials and/or Equipment LCD projector, prepared lecture notes, computers & computers software/programmes, textbooks/course books, e-books, journals, chalk and white boards, flip charts, video, photos, TV. Course Assessment The course shall be assessed by assignment, sit in tests as CATs and through the main University Examination. CAT shall constitute 30% and main exam 70%. Core Reading Materials for the Course Chape, S. et al. (compilers) 2003. 2003 United Nations List of Protected Areas. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/wdbpa/unlist Government of Kenya. 2011. Integrated Coastal Zone Management Action Plan for Kenya, 2011– 2015: Towards an Integrated Management of Kenya’s Coastal and Marine Resources. Nairobi: NEMA. Kaunda-Arara, B., and G.A. Rose, 2003. Effects of marine reef national parks on fishery CPUE in coastal Kenya. Biological Conservation 118: 1–13. McClanahan T.R. 1994. Kenyan coral reef lagoon fish: Effects of fishing, substrate complexity, and sea urchins. Coral Reefs 13: 231–241. McClanahan, T.R., and B. Kaunda-Arara. 1996. Fishery recovery in a coral reef marine park and its effect on the adjacent fishery. Conservation Biology 10: 1187–1199. © Muchai/UoN – Dept. of Clinical Studies. Marine Ecol, Biodiv & Consv. 2019. JFA 304 Page 2 of 69 JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation OVERVIEW OF MARINE RESOURCES The Kenyan coastline, approximately 500 km long, stretches from Vanga (Tanzania border in the south, 10 42’S) and borders Somalia (Kiunga, 40 40’S) in the north. The continental shelf covers an area of about 19, 120 km2 (UNEP 1998) and 200 nautical miles of EEZ. Kenyan coastline is bathed by the northward-flowing warm waters of the East Africa Coastal Current, located between latitudes 1 and 5 degrees South with a narrow continental shelf, the coastal marine habitats are dominated by coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves, with large expanses of sandy substrates where river inputs from Kenya's two largest rivers, the Tana and Athi rivers, prevent the growth of coral reefs. The northern part of the coast is seasonally influenced by upwelling waters of the Somali Current, resulting in lower water temperatures for part of the year. The coast is made up of raised Pleistocene reefs on coastal plains and hills of sedimentary origin, which support native habitats, dominated by scrub bush and remnant pockets of the forests that used to cover East Africa and the Congo basin. The semi-diurnal tidal regime varies from 1.5 to 4 m amplitude from neap to spring tides, creating extensive intertidal platform and rocky-shore communities exposed twice-daily during low tides. © Muchai/UoN – Dept. of Clinical Studies. Marine Ecol, Biodiv & Consv. 2019. JFA 304 Page 3 of 69 JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Kenyan coastline has a rich DIVERSITY OF MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. These ecosystems include MANGROVE WETLANDS, COASTAL FORESTS, ESTUARIES, SANDY BEACHES AND SAND DUNES, CORAL REEFS, AND SEAGRASS BEDS THAT SUPPORT A HOST OF MARINE AND COASTAL SPECIES. The ecosystems constitute an important life-support system for local communities. They supply vital resources that support livelihoods and economic development. Additionally, these ecosystems maintain the health of marine and coastal landscapes and seascapes at large. Kenya’s rich coastal biodiversity encompasses locally, regionally and globally important species, including Threatened species. The Kenyan coast is also endowed with a rich history of social and cultural interactions and traditions that span the entire shoreline. Notable amongst these traditions are the social, cultural, and economic opportunities that have been provided to the Kenyan coastal population through the use of the marine and coastal ecosystems for food, trade, recreation, and transport (Government of Kenya 2011). Marine resources must be properly managed to be sustainable for ourselves and future generations. © Muchai/UoN – Dept. of Clinical Studies. Marine Ecol, Biodiv & Consv. 2019. JFA 304 Page 4 of 69 JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation MARINE (COASTAL AREAS) RESOURCES Marine resources may be categorized as: Physical Resources - Physical resources include petroleum and natural gas, which form from the buried remains of marine plankton. This category also includes many kinds of minerals, as well as fresh water extracted from seawater by desalination. Marine Energy Resources – extraction of energy directly from the heat or motion of sea water include several methods of generating electrical power from waves and currents, wind, tides, and thermal gradients in the oceans. Biological Resources – are marine animals and plants harvested for food and other uses. The commercial fishing industry has fished many commercial fish stocks beyond their maximum sustainable yield. Non-extractive Resources – include use of the oceans for transportation and recreation. Renewable – naturally replaced by the growth of marine organisms or other natural processes. Examples are fish, kelp, sponges. Non-renewable - deposited over millions of years and cannot be renewed in a human lifetime. Examples are natural gas, oil and solid mineral deposits. © Muchai/UoN – Dept. of Clinical Studies. Marine Ecol, Biodiv & Consv. 2019. JFA 304 Page 5 of 69 JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation MARINE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES Plankton PHYTOPLANKTON Phytoplankton, or algae, are tiny, single-celled plants. Phytoplankton are the primary producers of food and oxygen— the base of the food web. Phytoplankton need sunlight to live and grow, so the largest concentrations of phytoplankton are found near the surface of the water. Major groups of phytoplankton include: • Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) • Golden brown algae (Chrysophyta) • Green algae (Clorophyta) • Blue-green algae (Cyanophyta) • Dinoflagellates (Pyrrophycophyta) • Cryptomonads (Cryptophyta) • Microflagellates (Prasinophyta, Euglenophycota, Protozoa) (Dinoflagellate) Noctiluca scintillans ZOOPLANKTON Zooplankton are planktonic animals that range in size from single-celled protozoa to tiny fish larvae to larger jellyfish. The zooplankton community is composed of both primary consumers (which eat phytoplankton) and secondary consumers (which feed on other zooplankton). Nearly all fish depend on zooplankton for food during their larval phases, and some fish continue to eat zooplankton their entire lives. © Muchai/UoN – Dept. of Clinical Studies. Marine Ecol, Biodiv & Consv. 2019. JFA 304 Page 6 of 69 JFA 304 Marine Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation (Jellyfish larva) Obelia sp. Copepod Acartia tranteri Zooplankton are classified by size and/or by developmental stage. Nanoplanktonic Flagellates Nanoplanktonic flagellates help keep bacteria populations under control. They are characterized by either a long tail used for swimming (flagellates) or by hair-like structures called cilia Mixotrophs are an amazing organism that are half plant and half animal. Mixotrophs have the ability to ingest other organisms