Summer Field Courses at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre www.bms.bc.ca At the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre field, lecture and laboratory work are combined into unforgettable learning experiences for senior undergraduates, graduate students and other qualified persons. Courses investigate diverse topics related to coastal and marine ecosystems and offer unique opportunities for engaging hands-on learning with instructors passionate about teaching. Each six-week summer course carries credit equivalent to a full-year university course, while three-week courses carry credit equivalent to one half-year university course. Independent and group research projects allow students to fully experience the scientific method: observing nature, posing biological questions, formulating hypotheses, designing experiments, hypothesis testing, and synthesizing conclusions with existing knowledge. Students from non-member institutions can receive transfer credit through the University of Victoria . BMSC is a field station on the remote West Coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Owned and operated by five Western Canadian universities (SFU, UVic, UBC, U of A, U of C), it has offered summer and fall immersion field courses since 1972.
Courses offered this summer: Marine Invertebrate Zoology 28 April 6 June (6 weeks) Exploration of the ecology, behaviour, adaptations and functional morphology of Barkley Sound's diverse invertebrate fauna in their natural habitat and in laboratories. Evolution and Adaptation in the Interidal 28 April 6 June (6 weeks) An examination of the efficacy and strength of natural selection using intertidal species. Independent and group research projects will focus on application of theory to variability within species. Terrestrial & Freshwater Conservation 28 April 16 May (3 weeks) This course will examine modern theory and practise in conservation ecology, with an emphasis on freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Marine Conservation Biology 19 May 6 June (3 weeks) This course will examine a wide range of human activities which threaten marine biodiversity and the tools available to marine conservation biologists to tackle these problems. Biology of Marine Mammals 9 June 18 July (6 weeks) A survey course covering systematics, physiology, behaviour and ecology of marine mammals, with special emphasis on local species Marine Phycology: Seaweed Taxonomy, Evolution and Biodiversity 9 June 18 July (6 weeks) An introduction to the taxonomic, morphological, and functional diversity of seaweeds, with an emphasis on the flora of the local area (southern Barkley Sound, British Columbia). Larval Ecology 9-27 June (3 weeks) An exploration of the morphological and ecological diversity of marine embryos and larvae, and adaptations of their complex life cycles. Biological Oceanography 30 June 18 July (3 weeks) Introduction to the organisms of the open sea and coastal zone, their adaptations to the environment, and the factors that control their distribution and abundance. Emphasis will be placed on the interdisciplinary nature of biological oceanography. Temperate Rainforest Ecology 21 July 29 August (6 weeks) An introduction to temperate rainforest ecosystems and their dynamics on southwestern Vancouver Island (Barkley Sound, Pacific Rim Park, Pachena, Carmanah areas). Experimental Field Biology 21 July 29 August (6 weeks) This course provides pratical, hands-on experience in statistics and experimental design in marine studies with an emphasis on intertidal systems. We will design and carry out a variety experimental designs in both field and lab settings. Crustacean Biology 21 July 8 August (3 weeks) The Crustacea comprise one of the largest and most structurally diverse groups of invertebrates. The lectures in this introductory course will examine the biology, ecology, and life history of crabs, shrimps, and their relatives.
