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Syllabus BIO 296 (3 credits) Marine Biology CE Study Abroad Course in Panama UVM Summer June 1 to 15, 2017

Instructors Instructor Laura J. May-Collado, Ph.D. Monica Gamboa-Poveda, M.Sc. [email protected] [email protected]

Pre-requisites: Undergraduate junior or senior levels. BCOR 102 or WFB 150.

Course Description: Some terrestrial evolved adaptations in the past that allowed them to move towards either a full or partial marine existence. These include cetaceans (toothed and ), (seals, lions and ), sirenians ( and ), sea and the polar . This course will provide a strong background to marine mammal biology and field methods in addition to conservation/management issues affecting them. The course is primarily for advance undergraduates but graduate and sophomores can enroll with permission of an instructor. This is not a recreational course. Students are expected to participate in a variety of activities lectures, field projects, and outreach activities with the community.

The course will take place in the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama. Our based is the Bocas del Toro Marine Station of the Smithsonian Tropical Institute located in the main island, Isla Colon. The station provides unique access to students and scientists to a diversity of aquatic organisms and marine . Students are also expected to participate in outreach activities on sustainable watching with the local indigenous communities and tour operators.

Course learning objectives: The first week of the course students will learn about the evolutionary history of marine mammals, physiological and anatomical adaptations to aquatic systems, and their ecology. They will also participate in a workshop on field monitoring data collection: sighting information, estimation of group size, behavior, and photo-identification (a photographic technique use to identify individuals). Lectures and workshops are scheduled for late afternoon and nighttime. During the day students will be participating in boat surveys collecting data for their independent field projects. During the second week we will focus our attention to behavior, acoustic communication, and conservation of marine mammals. Students will continue to collect data for their independent projects. Students will learn and practice scientific inquiry by conceiving a question and designing and implementing a method (s) to answer their question. Students will report the results of their study following scientific conference settings.

Week 1-During the first week students will learn about marine mammal systematics and , and morphological adaptations to aquatic systems, and movement, migration, and habitat use. In addition, they will be introduced to field data collection and initiate their independent group projects.

Week 2-During this second week students will lean about marine mammal behavior, specifically foraging adaptations, prey-predator interactions, acoustic communication and social behavior, life history, and population genetics, conservation biology. They will continue with their independent field project, which will culminate oral presentation of their results. Course Itinerary (tentative to changes!): This is not a vacation trip. Notice we spend ALL DAY in the field! And then we dedicate the time for lectures and data analysis. Date Morning Afternoon Night June 1 Arriving to Panama Arriving to Panama Arriving to Panama

June 2 Lecture: Evolution and Arriving to Bocas del Toro Orientation Adaptations Lecture: Movement, Migration, and Habitat Use Data Entry June 3 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Lecture : Diet and Foraging adaptations, diving physiology Data Entry June 4 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Lecture : Sensory systems: production and communication Data Entry June 5 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Lecture : Reproduction, life history, and mating systems Data Entry June 6 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Lecture: Social behavior Data Entry June 7 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Lecture: Population biology and genetics Data Entry June 8 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Lecture : Threats and Conservation Data Entry June 9 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Group Project June 10 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Group Project June 11 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Group Project June 12 Boat-Surveys Boat-Surveys Group Project June 13 Work on Oral and written papers Work on Oral and written papers Presentations June 14 Study time Final Exam due @ 1p.m. Packing up & Farewell dinner June 15 To Albrook Airport 7 a.m. To Tocumen Airport Home!

Grading Presentation on Assigned paper: 10pts Final exam Open Book: 35pts Independent Field Project: 55pts (25pts field work, 10pts oral, 20pts written paper).

Student Behavior: Students are expected to comply with UVM Code of Academic Integrity, as requested by Dr. May-Collado and the rules of Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Students are required to participate in all course activities. No drug or alcohol is allowed in this course.

Recommended Book: Reynolds J. E. and Rommel, S. A. 1999. Biology of Marine Mammals. Smithsonian Press. ($34.5 in Kindle).

Software: Socprog 2.4 or 2.5 compiled (free download) (not in mac), Audacity both platforms Mac and Windows free download.

Instructors Bios: Laura J. May-Collado: Native of Costa Rica. She has over 18 years of experience working with vertebrates including , , , and marine mammals. She earned her master’s degree at University of Costa Rica and her Ph.D. at Florida International University. She is currently a Research Associate at the University of Vermont in the Department of Biology, and has coordinated Field Biology courses for OTS in the past. Website: lauramay-collado.com

Monica Gamboa-Poveda: She is American/Costa Rican that has work with , sea turtles, and for over 10 years. She earned her master’s degree at Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica. She is currently an associated research to Panacetacea.org and organization dedicated to the study and conservation of marine mammals in Panama.