BL4258 Foraging in Marine Mammals

(BL4258 online module handbook version 52)

This module will provide primarily seminar and practical-based analysis of the life-history requirements of foraging in marine mammals, geographical and physiological constraints on finding food, food and feeding with a focus on types of prey and adaptations by the prey, adaptations for marine mammals feeding in the marine environment, optimal foraging theory, and optimal diving theory. Initial lectures will focus on theoretical issues and description of methods to study foraging. Students will then conduct case-studies of marine-mammal foraging, which will be presented in a seminar format as a group.*

Biology Teaching Office:
Level 2, Biomolecular Sciences Building, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST

Email: bioteach@st-andrews.ac.uk      Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 3602 or 3566

BL4258: Timetable †

For additional details please see the course handbook document on MOODLE

BL4258: Reading List

BL4258: Assessment

Coursework = 100%*

The following related information applies to all Biology modules:

Who to ask †

(Information in this section applies to all Biology Modules)

Before contacting staff, students should check the content of the Biology Undergraduate Handbook, the module handbook and specific task instructions.

Biology Teaching Office:

We are happy to hear from you about teaching matters. The School of Biology Teaching Office is open Monday to Friday 09.00 - 13.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. School of Biology staff will respond to your emails during these hours. Our team will provide a response to you within three working days.

Biology Teaching Office (Level 2), University of St Andrews, Biomolecular Sciences Building, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST

Email: bioteach@st-andrews.ac.uk

Tel: 01334 46 3602 or 3566

BL4258: Contributing Staff †

BL4258: Learning Outcomes †

Students completing module BL4258 successfully should be able to:

• We hope to provide a ⠂¬Å"perspective⠂¬Â from which you can appreciate what is known (and indeed, gaps in this knowledge) about foraging behaviour in this diverse group of animals and help you to structure this information in a meaningful way.
• The idea of the module is not to present a series of lectures but rather engage you in an exploration of what is known about how marine mammals find and capture their prey, how their physiology facilitates this and how their success or failure impacts the
• We will also emphasize the approaches and techniques used in marine mammal foraging studies.
• While there will be some lecture material, we will expect you to actively take part in an exploration of the literature and present what you find to the class.
• We cannot cover all areas of interest but we hope that by the end of the course you will be in a good position to follow your own interests in the popular or primary literature and to critically evaluate current conservation and management issues.
• Most importantly, we hope to foster an enthusiastic interest in marine mammals, their conservation and the protection of the marine environment.

BL4258: Acquired Skills †

Practical Skills

Transferable Skills

• Group discussion - participating
• Long individual presentation on given topic (>15 min)
• Long essay (>2000 words)
• Review article on given topic
• Critically evaluating sources/information
• Finding literature
• Searching databases
• Sourcing figures/tables