COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHY - ESS 451
DR. SEAN CORNELL - SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY
Course Description:
This field-intensive course examines the interaction of biological, chemical, physical, geological, and ecological ocean processes as applied to coastal environments. A significant emphasis is focused on describing and documenting coastal environments, their biotas, their environmental tolerances and ranges. Emphasis is also placed on environmental management issues of the coastal zone. Topics include water quality analysis, barrier island geology and ecology, estuarine pollution, beach defense and biological implications in areas of coastal upwelling and coastal fronts. Specific cases in coastal pollution, human impacts on coastal landforms, shoreline erosion, wetland loss, sea-level fluctuations, nutrients in estuaries, and climate change will be examined from coastal environments around the U.S. Lecture, field trips, and laboratory exercises are designed to provide students with hands-on experience with field and laboratory equipment used to solve real-world problems in diverse coastal settings. The course is field-based and taught in Wallops Island, Virginia.
Marketable Skills Gained from This Course:
General Description of Field Activities:
Will emphasize exploration of all major coastal ecosystems from mainland freshwater ecosystems, brackish water estuaries, bays, barrier islands, maritime forests, salt marshes, and shallow marine shelf environments. We will measure various water parameters (i.e. salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, etc.), measure water levels, sample sediments and soils and analyze them, collect live and dead organisms and learn about their ecosystem services and emphasize their use as indicators of environmental health. Our field time will involve some driving to field sites, hiking, kayaking, time on both the monitors (in the shallow bays), as well as on the Parker (offshore). Most work will occur in the coastal bays, but also some field sites will occur in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Approximate Amount of Course Time Spent in Field:
60%
Prerequisites:
Oceanography or permission from instructor
Required Textbook or Supplies:
Textbooks and Field Guides:
1) Environmental Oceanography: Topics and Analysis Abel and McConnell (Jones and Bartlett, Publishers) Required
2) Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary: A Field Guide (White and Teramura) Required
3) Field Guide to the Submerged Aquatic Vegetation of Chesapeake Bay (Recommended)
Required Gear/Supplies:
4) Field Notebook (Orange Ben Meadows ~5"x7" size- easy to see when in the field when it is set down - 160 pages)
5) Hand lens of some kind - strongly recommended on a lanyard so it can be used frequently
Number of Students:
8-15
2025 Chincoteague Bay Field Station Fee*:
3 week course; housing and meals included
Salicornia; $1,827
Traditional; $1,677
Fees are subject to change at the discretion of the board of directors
* Does not include university tuition or fees. For specific policy on CBFS fees, click HERE.
This field-intensive course examines the interaction of biological, chemical, physical, geological, and ecological ocean processes as applied to coastal environments. A significant emphasis is focused on describing and documenting coastal environments, their biotas, their environmental tolerances and ranges. Emphasis is also placed on environmental management issues of the coastal zone. Topics include water quality analysis, barrier island geology and ecology, estuarine pollution, beach defense and biological implications in areas of coastal upwelling and coastal fronts. Specific cases in coastal pollution, human impacts on coastal landforms, shoreline erosion, wetland loss, sea-level fluctuations, nutrients in estuaries, and climate change will be examined from coastal environments around the U.S. Lecture, field trips, and laboratory exercises are designed to provide students with hands-on experience with field and laboratory equipment used to solve real-world problems in diverse coastal settings. The course is field-based and taught in Wallops Island, Virginia.
Marketable Skills Gained from This Course:
- Field Sampling
- Indicator species identification
- Coastal resource monitoring and management
General Description of Field Activities:
Will emphasize exploration of all major coastal ecosystems from mainland freshwater ecosystems, brackish water estuaries, bays, barrier islands, maritime forests, salt marshes, and shallow marine shelf environments. We will measure various water parameters (i.e. salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, etc.), measure water levels, sample sediments and soils and analyze them, collect live and dead organisms and learn about their ecosystem services and emphasize their use as indicators of environmental health. Our field time will involve some driving to field sites, hiking, kayaking, time on both the monitors (in the shallow bays), as well as on the Parker (offshore). Most work will occur in the coastal bays, but also some field sites will occur in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Approximate Amount of Course Time Spent in Field:
60%
Prerequisites:
Oceanography or permission from instructor
Required Textbook or Supplies:
Textbooks and Field Guides:
1) Environmental Oceanography: Topics and Analysis Abel and McConnell (Jones and Bartlett, Publishers) Required
2) Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary: A Field Guide (White and Teramura) Required
3) Field Guide to the Submerged Aquatic Vegetation of Chesapeake Bay (Recommended)
Required Gear/Supplies:
4) Field Notebook (Orange Ben Meadows ~5"x7" size- easy to see when in the field when it is set down - 160 pages)
5) Hand lens of some kind - strongly recommended on a lanyard so it can be used frequently
Number of Students:
8-15
2025 Chincoteague Bay Field Station Fee*:
3 week course; housing and meals included
Salicornia; $1,827
Traditional; $1,677
Fees are subject to change at the discretion of the board of directors
* Does not include university tuition or fees. For specific policy on CBFS fees, click HERE.