Course Requirements
Marine Ecology: The Rocky Intertidal Environment of the Punta Banda,
Baja California, Mexico
(Biology 11B) (On line at www.pcmsusa.org - click on my name for homepage)
Instructor: Dr. Raymond Wells. I received my B.S. and M.S. in Biology from California
State University, Northridge and my Ph.D. in Marine Ecology from the University
of Southern California. My teaching and research emphases include the ecology
or kelp forests, the rocky intertidal zone, Caribbean coral reefs, the Gulf
of the Gulf of California in Mexico, and human ecology of the Veracruz, Mexico
estuary. I have taught at Pierce College since 1983. We are proud at Pierce
College to offer the most extensive marine biology and oceanography field program
of any community college in California.
Books (required): Course Guide: The Marine Biology of the Rocky Intertidal Environment
of the Punta Banda, Baja California, Mexico. Cost included in the course travel
fee. Internet access is required for completion of course exercises.
Course Organization: The on-campus class meeting is a morning lecture, brief
break, followed by a laboratory session. The second meeting of the class is
at an alternative meeting site in Baja California, Mexico. Students examine
several study sites including different examples of rocky intertidal communities.
The effect of development of the intertidal environment will also be examined.
The ecology of fishes, invertebrates and birds are included in topics of study.
Travel fees are paid through the Pierce College Associated Students Organization
and include hotel accommodations and travel insurance. Information regarding
equipment, food and other preparation is discussed at the on-campus meeting.
Attendance: Attendance for the entire class meeting time for both dates is required.
An absence either day will result in receiving a grade of No Credit. IF YOU
FIND IT NECESSARY TO DROP THIS CLASS - IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO FOLLOWING
THE REGULAR ADMISSIONS AND RECORDS PROCEDURES. You are expected to be on time
for the class meetings.
Grading: The grade for the course, either Credit or No Credit, is determined
by the following criteria: (1) successful completion of the laboratory exercise
and completeness of the information in the course guide; (2) participation in
the field study ; and (3) a score of at least 75% on the field quizzes given
at the end of each day of field study.
Reading: Course Guide. You are expected to read all of the assignments and complete
supplementary exercises provided on a CD.
Other Field Studies: Other field studies that may be of interest to you are
Biology 122 (Lab and Field Studies in Marine Biology), Biology 11A (short field
study courses), and Biology 123 (summer session - Marine Biology in Bahia de
los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico). If you are interested in these courses
please see me.
Office Hours: My office is CFS 91073, office hours are M, T, W 9:30 –
11:00 AM; Th 2:00 – 3:30 PM or by appointment. I can be reached at pcmsusa@hotmail.com
(best) or 818/710-4285. I encourage you to come see me for help or discussion.
If you are having difficulty please come see me before you fall behind.
Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, of psychological, who
believe that they need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact
Special Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are
implemented in a timely fashion. Authorization, based on verification of disability,
is required before any accommodation can be made. The phone number for Special
Services is (818) 719-6430 and they are located in the new Student Services
Building #4800.