SEA2005S - Marine Systems

Course Outline:

Building on the Principles of Oceanography SEA2004F course, this more advanced course will cover the main ocean and atmosphere systems, with a particular emphasis on their biogeochemical functioning. This includes an introduction to the major marine biogeochemical cycles, seawater carbonate chemistry, phytoplankton-nutrient interactions and growth kinetics, surface ocean-lower atmosphere interactions, and an introduction to Earth system dynamics. The physical forcings and their biogeochemical and ecosystem responses will be quantitatively illustrated for upwelling systems, oligotrophic systems, coastal systems around South Africa, and the Southern Ocean. Emphasis will be placed on treating the systems in an integrative manner. Methods of data sampling and analysis, and computation of biogeochemical pools, rates and feedbacks will be covered in the tutorials and practicals.