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"Physiology of Marine and Maritime Organisms "
A course for undergraduate and graduate students.
Course Information Website.
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Sunset from Lab Point, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
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"Physiology of Marine and Maritime Organisms "
BSC 306.09
May 30 -June 10, 2008
sponsored by
Illinois State University
conducted at
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
This course in marine biology and physiology emphasizes the physiological adaptations of organisms to conditions found in habitats of coastal Maine.
(3 semester credits).
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Contact Dr. Robert Preston (309-438-7933) at Illinois State University. Enrollment presently restricted to students qualifying for the ISU/MDIBL/COA CRUI NSF Fellowship Program. Applications may be allowed for outside applicants at a later date.
(Visit URL below for general information on Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory)
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See below for the details
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PHYSIOLOGY OF MARINE AND MARITIME ORGANISMS
BSC 306.09 3 credit hours May 30 - June 10, 2008
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Dr. Robert L. Preston
Professor of Physiology
Department of Biological Sciences
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois 61790-4120
and
Principal Investigator
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
Salsbury Cove, Maine 04672
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Dr. George W. Kidder III
Senior Investigator
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
Salsbury Cove, Maine 04672
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Dr. George Kidder, 207-288-9880 Ext. 421
gkidder@mdibl.org
{Click here for Dr. Kidder's Web Page}
Dr. Robert Preston, SLB 248, 309-438-7933
{Click here for Dr. Preston's Web Page}
{{{Click Here to See a Photo Gallery of MDIBL Photos}}}
GENERAL INFORMATION
The course is an intensive summer course in marine biology and physiology, emphasizing the adaptations to the conditions found in the variety of habitats bordering on the cold ocean of coastal Maine. Marine habitats available include open ocean, intertidal, rocky coast, tide flats and estuarine environments, each with its mix of physiological stresses which must be overcome. Terrestrial habitats include forests of various ages and types, meadows, bogs, ponds, and lakes, with a range of communities in various successional stages and subject to stresses from temperature, soil, salt and winds. The course will focus on adaptations to osmotic and temperature stresses as a central theme. A research project will be incorporated as part of these studies.
The course will run for two weeks with an average of 2 hours lecture and (nominally) 4 hours of laboratory/field experience per day, on a flexible schedule to accommodate tides and weather. The facilities of the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory near Bar Harbor, Maine will be used as a base, and students will be housed and fed at the Laboratory in cooperative facilities.
The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL), an independent nonprofit biological research laboratory, is the largest cold water research facility in the Eastern United States. The laboratory was founded in 1898 in Harpswell, Maine and moved to its present location in 1921. The laboratory has a very active program of summer investigators from many universities from the east coast (e.g., Harvard, Yale, Brown, Univ. of Florida), the midwest (Illinois State, Kansas State) and overseas (Cambridge Univ., England; Max-Planck-Inst., Dortmund, Germany). They are attracted to MDIBL because it provides an outstanding environment to study the comparative aspects of physiological processes. A number of key discoveries have been made by investigators at MDIBL including delineation of the mechanisms of kidney function and the development of diuretics using marine models. At present MDIBL is one of five Centers for Toxicology funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, focusing on heavy metal toxicity.
MDIBL is located in Salsbury Cove, Maine on Frenchman Bay on Mount Desert Island. The island offers a wide variety of habitats ranging from shallow and deep saltwater, intertidal zones and mud flats, saltwater and freshwater marshes, freshwater lakes and streams, forests and meadows. Well-known landmarks on the island include Acadia National Park and the towns of Bar Harbor and Northeast Harbor. Acadia National Park occupies 33,000 acres and includes 18 mountains ranging up to 1,500 feet above sea level, five lakes and the only natural fjord along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. It is the second most-visited National Park in the United States. (See Acadia National Park WebSite: http://www.acadia.net/anp).
Salsbury Cove is a small community but access to larger towns is convenient. Bar Harbor (5 miles) away and Ellsworth (11 miles) have full facilities including shopping, laundromats, many restaurants, art galleries, museums, hotels and motels as well as hospitals. Bar Harbor has a regional airport, and Bangor (40 miles) has an international airport. Boston is a 5 hour drive south west, while the Canadian border is 3 hours north east.
{{{Click Here to See a Photo Gallery of MDIBL Photos}}}
PHYSIOLOGY OF MARINE AND MARITIME ORGANISMS
The Schedule dates below no longer apply since CRUI/NSF Fellows are currently the only students permitted in this course. However, this may change in the future and the schedules below are left in place so you may get a general idea of the program that may be available for external applicants.
SCHEDULE - SUMMER 2008
Sat. May 31 - 7:00 AM Departure from Normal, IL (overnight accommodations enroute)
Sun. June 1 - 7:00 PM (est.) Arrival at MDIBL
Mon. June 2 through Friday June 6 - regular class and laboratory meetings
(Weekend Sat./Sun. June 7/8 is free time)
Mon. June 9 through Friday June 13 - regular class and laboratory meetings
Sat. June 14 - 7:00 AM departure from MDIBL (overnight accommodations on route)
Sun. June 15 - 7:00 PM (est.) Arrival at Normal, IL
DAILY SCHEDULE (approximate, subject to frequent changes with subjects, tides and weather)
9:00 - 10:00 Short lab period: terminate overnight experimental runs, etc.
10:00 - 12:00 Lecture(s)
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 4:00 or later - Lab or field trip
6:00 - 7:00 Supper
7:00 - 8:00 Study, special seminars, discussions, etc.
PROPOSED LECTURE TOPICS (these and the laboratory/field topics subject to final implementation)
Introduction to MDIBL: facilities, rules, schedules, expectations
Overview of physiological limitations - water, nutrition, temperature, light, reproduction, predation
Diffusion and osmosis - problems in fresh and salt water
Overview of marine and littoral species
Water transport in the kidney and gill
Water transport in other epithelia - skin, rectal gland, intestine
Water transport in plants
Influence of temperature in biological systems
Body temperature as a physiological limitation
Control of body temperature in plants and animals
Avoidance of damage from freezing
Adaptations of plants and animals to water stresses
PROPOSED FIELD TOPICS (environmental and organismal sampling)
Tide flat field trip
Rocky-shore literal field trip
Estuaries field trip
Fresh marsh field trip
Distribution and identification of plankton
Stressed vegetation field trip (rocky mountain, salt stress)
Osmotic environment of Glycera (blood worm)
Localization of Fundulus in response to tidal variations in salinity
Open ocean ("whale watch") trip
PROPOSED LABORATORY TOPICS (organismal physiology)
Behavioral response of Fundulus (killifish) to osmotic stress
Osmotic water movement in aquatic organisms
Response of Mytilus (blue mussel) and its tissues to calcium deprivation
Solute uptake in Glycera (blood worm) coelomocytes
Activity changes with temperature in different species
Independent research project
SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Transportation: We will be driving to and from Maine in the department van. The distance is about 1600 miles one way, and will take two days, with an overnight stay at about the half way point. The van will be necessary for local transportation on Mt. Desert Island and vicinity, and this mode of transportation minimizes student expenses. Persons who wish to make their own travel arrangements are free to do so, but as most of the transportation charges are fixed, we can only rebate $200. It is important that persons traveling by themselves inform us of that fact!
Housing: Students and the teaching assistants will be housed in laboratory cottages, used during the summer season for housing principal investigators and their families. The particular cottages we will use are located across the highway (5 min. walk) from the main laboratory campus, adjacent to "Beaver Pond", a small (by Maine standards) lake. The cabins have full bathroom facilities (hot water, etc.) as well as kitchens which we will not need to use. Since they were designed for summer occupancy only, the only heat is a wood stove, which is cozy but not very efficient.
Meals: Meals will be served in the "co-op" dining hall, located just inside the main campus. Breakfasts will be made by the students from materials supplied; juice, cereal, buns, coffee, etc., while lunch and dinner will be cooked by a professional cook and served at specific times. (If we get the same cook as last year, which we expect, the food will be very tasty!) There will be another course (Molecular Techniques) running at the same time, with mostly graduate students and post-docs, and these persons will be sharing the co-op with us, so there should be 20 students or so at mealtimes. The co-op is also the social center of the laboratory, and has a large fireplace, TV and VCR, etc. It is "cooperative" in that students bus off the tables and load the dish washer, and keep the place in order; a minor responsibility in terms of time, but very important to the functioning of the facility.
Luggage: You should plan to bring the equivalent of a large suit case or duffel bag plus a sleeping bag and your boots (see below) and whatever "carry on" stuff (cameras, etc.) you will have. (It is surprising how much you can fit in a surplus duffel bag!) Coastal Maine in late May has a variable climate. While it is highly unlikely that there will still be snow on the ground, the nights can still produce temperatures approaching freezing. Daytime temperatures are quite variable, but will seldom be above 80°F. Rain is somewhat more likely than in Normal, and can be accompanied by strong winds. Weather conditions have more effect when you spend all day outside, as we will often be doing. There will be space to dry clothing, laundry facilities can be obtained in Bar Harbor, and we will attempt to spend really rainy days in the lab, but you can expect to get soaked at least once. Don't forget, however, that the weather can be warm and pleasant, and shorts and tee shirts may be desirable; you might even want a bathing suit!
Specific items to bring: Rubber boots, at least 10 inch height, with good tread on the soles. We will be walking over sand, mud and especially rocks, so good footing is essential, in the form of good rubber soles. Boots should fit snugly so as not to be "sucked off" in mud. Other shoes should likewise have non-slip soles (no leather). A warm sleeping bag is essential, as nights may be cold (40's), and a warm coat, hat and gloves will add greatly to your comfort. Good rain gear is important; a large poncho which will cover a warm coat, or complete foul weather gear would not be inappropriate. (Sounds like we will be freezing on a mud flat in the rain for two weeks, doesn't it? Actually, we will be warm and dry, mostly. But it is better to be prepared.) A flashlight will be very useful for ease of moving about some areas of the campus that are not intensely lit at night. Binoculars will be useful, especially for observing birds and whales. If you have some good ones, bring them, since they may be better than the Department's which we will supply. A camera may be desirable although not necessary. We will supply notebooks for laboratory and field use, but you will need pens and at least one pencil (ink runs in the damp.)
Fiscal details: The total cost of this course will be $1600 plus ISU registration for 3 credit hours. This will include transportation to and from MDIBL, including the motel (but not meals) for 2 nights en route, room and board for the two weeks of the course, and all expenses connected with the course (boat rentals, transportation, trip fees) except for personal items such as souvenirs, laundry, film, etc. (There will be no required textbook.)
Applicants who are accepted into the course will be required to make a deposit payment of $100 to secure their place. This deposit will be due by April 24 and will be applied toward the total cost, and cannot be refunded if the student subsequently withdraws. The balance ($1500) will be due on May 4, 2001, and must be paid by this time to ensure a place in the course. Applicants not immediately accepted will be placed on a waiting list. Students who have paid in full and subsequently withdraw may receive a full refund ($1500) if their place can be filled by another student. Most of the expenses of this course (lab rental fees, transportation, etc.) are independent of the number of students enrolled, and if a qualified replacement cannot be found, the course will refund only the variable expenses (lodging, board, etc.) which amount to $422. If for some reason the course is cancelled, a full refund of all payments (including the deposit) will be made.
N. B. After obtaining consent of the instructors, the student is required to register for this course in the usual way, pay any fees imposed by ISU, and conform to the regular withdrawal policies of the university. Students not currently registered at ISU should confer with the instructors. There may be mechanisms to obtain creidt for this course through your home university or college.
CLICK HERE FOR AN APPLICATION FORM
{{{ Click Here to See a Photo Gallery of MDIBL Photos }}}
Visit the Cell Biology, Physiology and Developmental Biology Web Page
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Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory*
* Note: All photographs on this site are copyrighted. Use or acquisition of these images is specifically forbidden without written permission from the webmaster. Contact Webmaster at rlpresto@ilstu.edu.