FAS 2024 Sustainable Fisheries
Offered for 3 credits in the Spring semester of each year
Fish biology, ecology, and habitats relevant to sustainable fisheries on both a global and regional (Florida) scale. Follows the fisheries occurring from cold, mountain rivers to the depths of the ocean, with a focus on resource use. Special topics are covered along this aquatic highway, including invasive species, aquaculture, dams and reservoirs, artificial reefs, fisheries bycatch, climate change, and marine protected areas. Intended for non-science and science majors.
This is a General Education course (3 credits of Biological Sciences). There are no prerequisites.
On completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Discuss and explain general fish biology and basic fisheries concepts with both non-scientists and fisheries professionals alike
- Compare and contrast fish biology, fish habitats, and fisheries that occur in freshwater, estuarine, and marine waters on a regional, national, and global scale
- Understand the processes of large-scale weather patterns, such as El Nino, in relation to fisheries and food webs
- Discuss the basic principles of fisheries sustainability and management options used in regulating fisheries
FAS 6273 Trophic Ecology of Fishes
Offered for 3 credits in Summer C of odd-numbered years. The course is 100% online and asynchronous through http://elearning.ufl.edu.
Trophic ecology of fishes, including: food habit analyses, food chains and webs, trophic cascades, isotopic analysis of trophic pathways, foraging behavior, prey selection, digestion and evacuation of prey, estimating consumption, feeding bioenergetics, tradeoffs among feeding, growth & reproduction, bioaccumulation, and a discussion-based introduction to ecosystem-based trophic models.
Prerequisites: Biology of Fishes (or equivalent) and STA6093 (or equivalent)
On completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Discuss and explain central concepts in fish trophic ecology
- Critically evaluate the primary literature on trophic ecology of fishes
- Apply metrics and models of trophic dynamics to interpret feeding ecology of fishes
FAS 6932 Reproductive Dynamics of Fish in Fisheries
Offered for 2 credits in Summer B of even-numbered years. The course is 100% online and asynchronous through http://elearning.ufl.edu.
Course covers reproductive biology and ecology of fishes in relation to fisheries and fisheries management, including: reproductive modes and cycles, gonad development and staging, spawning duration and season, fecundity, sexual maturity, spawning aggregations, and spatial and temporal variation in reproductive dynamics.
The course format includes lectures, discussion of primary literature articles, and homework exercises that include analysis of reproductive parameters, such as sexual maturity and fecundity.
Prerequisites: Course in fish biology (e.g., Biology of Fishes or equivalent) and statistics (STA 6093 or higher); students should be familiar with the basic use of Excel
On completion of this course, each student will be able to:
- Discuss and explain central concepts in fish reproductive biology and ecology relevant to fisheries and fisheries management
- Critically evaluate the primary literature on reproduction of fishes
- Apply metrics and models of reproductive dynamics used in fisheries