About this module
The course will study Harmful Algae Bloom (HABs). HABs occur when colonies of algae (usually phytoplankton) grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal. The HABs are known to have an important impact on our societies. The economic effects of HABs arise from public health costs, commercial fishery and aquaculture closures and fish kills, insurance costs, possible medium and long-term declines in coastal and marine recreation and tourism, and the costs of monitoring, management and mitigation. The course will focus on the monitoring aspect and detection of HABs through Satellite Data and GIS processing.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- describe the main oceanographic concepts and coastal marine processes, including biochemical and biological aspects
- explain the role of Marine macro and micro-algae in the environment and in our economies
- identify and qualify HABs using GIS
Learning approach
This module consists of a mixture of theory and practical work.
Theory: Basic concepts and processes, Monitoring strategies, Remote Sensing.
Practical work: GIS analysis of remote sensing data to identify and quantify a particular HAB event.
Topics Covered
- Oceanographic concepts and coastal marine processes
- Marine macro and micro-algae
- Harmful Algae Bloom (HABs)
Module Head
