Prinzipien und Probleme eines Meeresökologischen Einführungskurses für Studenten an einer Meeresfernen Universität

The main principle of this field-course, held at the Freie Universitat Berlin and at a marine biological institute, is to demonstrate the influences of gradual alteration of ecological factors on the organisms and their distribution. The didactic aims are to initiate participation of the students in planning the program, cooperation and mutual exchange of results, critical evaluation of methods and literature on the basis of own experience. These aims are achieved by the relevance and the interdependence of the different subjects that are worked out in practice. Two examples are given: Investigations on the bottom-fauna of the Kiel Bay and on the fauna living on piles in the Baltic canal. The problems primarily pertain to the lack of facilities at German marine biological institutes.