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Marine Resource Use and Conservation

Instructors: Loretta Roberson and Mirta Teichberg

Course Description:

Students will learn about coastal and marine resource use and examine threats to ecosystem biodiversity and conservation exploring examples in the Cape Cod region and discussing global case studies. The course will review various methods and uses of aquaculture and mariculture for promoting the blue economy, their potential consequences, but also potential to mitigate climate change and nutrient pollution. We will also review the role of restoration in promoting ecosystem recovery and conservation. Field trips will include visits to local shellfish and finfish hatcheries, ongoing restoration projects, and conservation organizations.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Analyze marine ecosystem structure–function relationships using field data.
  2. Quantify ecosystem services provided by fisheries, shellfish, seaweed, and habitats.
  3. Evaluate tradeoffs among resource use, conservation, and climate adaptation.
  4. Propose place-based management or restoration solutions grounded in science and stakeholder realities.
  5. Communicate findings through oral presentations, lab reports, and a final synthesis report.

Course Structure

The course is organized into focused two- to four-day modules that include lectures, discussions of papers, field trips, and field and lab activities.

Week 1 – Ecosystems, Baselines & Resource Use

What did Cape Cod marine ecosystems look like historically, and how have human uses reshaped them?

Lectures

  • Structure & function of temperate coastal ecosystems
  • Ecosystem services & valuation
  • Shifting baselines: kelp forests, fisheries, seagrass

Field trips

  • Nearshore biodiversity survey (rocky + soft sediment)
  • Visit to NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Labs

  • Baseline water quality & habitat condition assessment
  • Food-web mapping using local fisheries data (e.g., squid)

Week 2 – Aquaculture, Invasives & Working Waterfronts

Can aquaculture and working waterfronts support both economies and ecosystems?

Lectures

  • Wild fisheries vs. aquaculture
  • Shellfish filtration & nutrient mitigation
  • Seaweed farming for biomass, nutrients, and climate
  • Invasive tunicates and novel ecosystems

Field Trips

  • Town of Falmouth Shellfish Division
  • Local oyster aquaculture farm
  • Seaweed research and cultivation sites

Labs

  • Shellfish filtration experiment
  • Invasive vs. native species surveys on docks or seawalls-Stone Living Lab Boston (or Woods Hole!) 

Group presentation: Aquaculture as a nature-based solution—benefits and limits

Week 3 – Restoration, Conservation & Nature-Based Solutions

How do we restore and manage marine systems under climate change?

Lectures

  • Habitat loss & climate stressors
  • Seagrass and river restoration
  • Conservation, governance, and nature-inclusive design
  • Offshore wind and multi-use seascapes

Field Trips

  • Cape Cod National Seashore or Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (weather/logistics permitting)
  • Seagrass restoration projects around Cape Cod and the Islands
  • Windfarm or The New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal

Labs

  • Mapping plant community structure across restoration stages along Coonamessett River
  • Restoration Project
  • Synthesis of ecosystem services gained through restoration

Final Project (written + oral):

A place-based management, restoration, or conservation proposal (e.g., kelp recovery, shellfish–seagrass co-benefits, invasive species mitigation, nature-inclusive infrastructure).

Grading

15% Active Participation
25% Presentations
30% Lab Reports
30% Final project