9351037 Rainwater This project provides equipment that is being used to support a new undergraduate course, Marine Biology, designed for biology majors. Specific equipment is used for field and laboratory exercises focusing on Texas coastal barrier island environments and the organisms that inhabit them. Field exercises include profiles of coastal waters and lagoons, analysis of bottom sediments and organisms, and studies of benthic communities. Laboratory studies also physiological adaptations and behavioral interactions of cold- water organisms, and marine plants and invertebrate animals collected in the field. It is expected that an increased appreciation of the marine environment will result from these studies. Moreover, the project will provide meaningful field and laboratory experiences in marine biology for undergraduate students. ***
