SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
MarineEnvironmentalHistoryCASNS323(4credits)CourseCatalogDescription:Employmethodsandsourcesofhistoriansandsocialscientists.Examinetheroleofhumansocietiesincoastalandopenoceanenvironmentalchange.Issuesincluderesourceconservation,overfishing,pollution,invasivespecies,andclimatechange.Instructor(s):SeaEducationAssociationMaritimeStudiesandOceanographyFacultyLocation:SEAcampusinWoodsHole,MA,atfieldstationinU.S.VirginIslands,atseaonSEA’ssailingschoolvesselCorwithCramer,andashoreduringseveralislandportstops.Prerequisites:AdmissiontoSEASemester.Sophomorestandingorconsentofinstructor.CoursePhilosophyandApproach:
MarineEnvironmentalHistory(MEH)isafour-creditcourseteam-taughtbySEA’sMaritimeStudiesandOceanographyprofessors.ThiscoursebeginsonshoreinWoodsHoleandtheU.S.VirginIslandsandcontinuesthroughouttheseacomponent.Wewillbeginbyexploringthelinksbetweentraditionalnation-orientedhistories,inter-regionalhistoriesthatspantheAtlanticandthedevelopmentofEnvironmentalHistoryandEnvironmentalScience,consideringmethodology,approachesandcurrenttrendswithineachguild.Thiscoursewillconsidertheroleofshipsandsailorsasagentsofenvironmental,cultural,socialandeconomicchangeintheCaribbeanregion.Yet,wemustalsoconsidertheagencyoftheenvironmentandthelimitsplacedonhumanbeingsintheirinteractionswiththelandandgeographythroughouttheCaribbean.OurexplorationoftheCaribbeanwillfollowaquasi-chronologicalstructurethatexaminestheroleofvarioushumanandenvironmentalfactorsasactiveagentsacrossseveraldistinctandoverlappingerasofchange:
• GeographicLandscape–geologicandclimatesetting• Native/pre-ColumbianEra(pre-1500s)• ThreeWorldsCollide/DawnofAtlanticWorld(1500s)• EraofColonization(1600-1700s)• AgeofRevolutions,Emancipation,&Capitalism(1800s)• Decolonization,Post-colonialismandGlobalization(1900-1990s)• ContemporaryEra(2000s)
ThroughtheuseofprimarydocumentswewillobserveanddiscussthemarineandterrestrialresourcesthatmotivatedEuropeanexpansionintheCaribbean,whichofthemanyhumanendeavorsweremostinfluentialduringagiventemporalhorizon,andtheresultingenvironmentalchanges.Essentialtoourunderstandingoftheimpactsthatthesehumanendeavorsengenderisanappreciationfornaturalpatternsofchangeinmarineandterrestrial
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
ecosystems.Asthevalueandutilityofvariousecosystemsevolveinresponsetoeverchangingpolitical,economicandsocialinstitutionsintheCaribbean,aneedemergestodevelopmanagementandconservationstrategiesthatpreservethesustainableuseofislandnaturalresourcesformultiplestakeholders.Thehumanendeavorswewillexaminefallwithinthelargerprogramthemes:
1) EnvironmentalJustice–FromEarlyColonizationtothedevelopmentofthePlantationComplex,whocontrolsthelandandresourcesandwhogetsexcluded.
2) EconomicEquity–InthePost-Emancipationperiodanddecolonizationprocess,howthevaluableassetsoftheregionareallocated.
3) SenseofPlace–Theculturalvaluesofthemixofindigenous,creoleandcolonialpeoplesandtheprocessofcontestationandcompromiseoverclaimsto“ownership”intheCaribbean.
4) TheAnthropocene–HowtheSmallIslandNationsandterritoriesoftheCaribbeanareconfrontingorfailingtoconfronttheeffectsofcurrentandfutureclimatedisruption.
Throughourstudyofthesethemes,wewilldevelopanunderstandingoftheneed/desirefor:1)safetraderoutes,includinganchorages,provisioningandsubsequentenvironmentalchanges;2)colonization/settlement,includinglanduseandintroducedspecies;3)commerce/profit,includingbioprospecting,introductionofspecies,plantationsystemagriculture;4)tourism/recreation/aesthetics,includingcruiseships,resorts,diving,aquariumtrade;and,5)energy,sustainability,andconservation.ThemyriadofenvironmentalchangesbroughtonbyhumanendeavorswilldirectthefocusoftheresearchstudentswillconductinthiscourseaswellasthatwhichtheycompleteforTheOceanandGlobalChange(OGC)coursetheywillalsotakeduringthisCaribbeanReefExpeditionprogram.Duringthesix-weekshorecomponentinWoodsHole,thiscourseconsistsof17lecture/discussionsessions(1.5hourseach),threelaboratory/illustrationsessions(3hourseach),andtwofieldtrips(10hours).Activitiesforthiscourseduringthetwo-weekfieldstationcomponentandfour-weekseacomponentconsistof9lecture/discussionsessions(2hourseach)and6fieldtrips(6hourseach),plusadditionaltimeforindependentstudentexplorationduringportstops.SomeofthesesessionsarejointactivitiesintegratedwithotherCaribbeanReefExpeditioncourses,andtheweeklycontacthoursgiveninthepreliminarycoursecalendarbelowreflectsonlytheportionallocatedtoMEH.LearningOutcomes:
1. Understandthecomplexinterplayoftheenvironment,culturaldevelopmentandhistoryintheCaribbeanregionovertime.
2. Applyinterdisciplinarytechniquesandapproachestoenvironmentalstudies.3. Developandsupportathesisbasedonworkwithprimaryandsecondarymaterials.4. Workwithinacollaborativeresearchandwritingenvironment:presentideasforgroup
feedbackandofferandexchangeconstructivecritiquesofwrittenworkinapeerrevisionprocess.
5. Interrogateandevaluateargumentsandconclusionsdevelopedduringonshoreresearchthroughobservationsandinterviewsconductedduringislandvisits.
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
6. Developandpracticegraphic/illustrativeskillstocommunicatecomplexideas,displaytechnicalknowledgeandrelaypersonalexperiences.
Evaluation:
MEHChangeResearchProject(60%)• Projectproposal• Documentpresentation• Peerreviewparticipation• Finalresearchpaper
5%20%5%30%
MEHPortStop(Field)Research(25%)• Portstopexploration&fieldnotes• Portstoppresentation• AddendumtoMEHChangeResearchPaper
5%10%10%
NaturalHistoryIllustrations 15%
Assignments:
TheMEHChangeResearchProjectbeginsonshoreandcontinuesthroughtheseacomponent.Onshorestudentschooseaprimaryhistoricaldocument(seeDocumentListbelow)asanentrypointintoourexplorationofthemyriadcoursethemes.Studentresearchofadditionalprimaryandsecondaryliteratureonshorewillexpandtheirunderstandingofeachcoursethemeanddevelopatimelineofchangeuptocontemporarytimes.ThefinalresearchpaperwillprogressthroughstagesofdevelopmentincludinganinitialpaperproposaldueinWeek3,followedbyaseriesofstudentpresentationsofwork-in-progressinWeeks4and5,andapeerreviewprocessinWeek5.Resultsofthisshore-basedworkculminateinafinalresearchpaperthatilluminatesourcurrentunderstandingofaspecificelementofMarineEnvironmentalHistoryintheCaribbean.Theconclusionsoftheshore-basedresearcharethencorroboratedwithMEHPortStop(Field)Researchduringourmanyportstopvisits.Guidedfieldtrips,independentexploration,andinterviewsarerecordedinstudentfieldjournals.Basedontheseobservationsstudentswillthencomparetheirfirst-handexperiencestotheironshoreresearchandsharetheirfindingsinaportstoppresentationandaddendumtotheirfinalresearchpaper.AdditionalassignmentsincludeseveralNaturalHistoryIllustrationsandaccompanyingwrittendescriptions.TheseillustrationsarebasedonstudentobservationduringfieldtripsonCapeCodandtheU.S.VirginIslands,whileatseacollectingmarineorganisms,andduringportstopvisitswhichwouldincludemarine,coastalandterrestrialhabitats.DocumentList(representative):
OlausMagnusCartaMarina(Rome1572)
RalphBohun,Discourseconcerningtheorigineandpropertiesofwind(Oxford1671)
AthanasiusKircher,Mundussubterraneus(Amsterdam1678)
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
EberhardZimmermann,Specimenzoologicalgeographiae(Leiden1777)
BartolomedelasCasasHistoryoftheIndies(1552)
JosephdeAcostaNaturalHistoryIndies(1590)
PhillipHenryGosseandRichardHillANaturalist’sSojourninJamaica(London1851)
JohnWhitecatalogueofdrawingsandwatercolorsthataccompanyThomasHarriot’swrittenaccount–ABriefeandtruereportofthenewfoundlandofVirginia(London1585)
WilliamDampierAnewvoyagearoundtheworld(London1697)
BenjaminFranklinandTimothyFolger,CourseoftheGulfStream(Paris1778)
HansSloane,NaturalHistoryofJamaica(London1707-1725)
R.Smith,BritishPamphletdescribingPortRoyalEarthquake(1692)
WilliamB.Espeut,OntheAcclimatizationoftheIndianMungoosinJamaicainPhilosophicalTransactions(1882)
PaulBrooks,BeachcombingintheVirginIslandsinRoadlessAreas(1964)
DavidRainsWallace,OfBuccaneersandBiodiversityinWildernessMagazine(1989)
MatthewFontaineMaury,ThePhysicalGeographyoftheSea(1855)
StandardFruitandSteamshipCo.Cruisebrochure(1926)
DominicanRepublic,MarineMammalSamanaBayandSilverBanksanctuarypermits(1986)
CARICOMReportsonclimatechange(variousdocuments,www.caricom.org)PreliminaryReadingList:
Adams,FrederickUpham,ConquestoftheTropics(1914)
Bolster,JeffreyW.,PuttingtheOceaninAtlanticHistoryinTheAmericanHistoricalReview(2008)
Butler,RichardW.(editor),TheTourismAreaLifeCycle–ApplicationsandModifications(2006)
Crosby,AlfredW.,Jr.,TheColumbianExchange(1972)
Crosby,AlfredW.,Jr.,EcologicalImperialism:TheBiologicalExpansionofEurope,900-1900(1986)
Delbourgo,JamesandNicholasDew(editors),ScienceandEmpireintheAtlanticWorld(2008)
Diamond,Jared,Collapse(2005)
Grove,RichardH.,GreenImperialism:ColonialExpansion,TropicalIslandEdensandtheOriginsofEnvironmentalism,1600-1860(1995)
Jackson,Jeremy,KarenAlexanderandEnricSala(editors),ShiftingBaselines:ThePast,andtheFutureofOceanFisheries(2011)
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
McCook,Stuart,StatesofNature:Science,Agriculture,andEnvironmentintheSpanishCaribbean1760-1940(2002)
McNeil,John,MosquitoEmpires:EcologyandWarintheGreaterCaribbean,1620-1914(2010)
Nybakken,JamesandBertness,M.,MarineBiology:AnEcologicalApproach6thed.(2005)
Rediker,Marcus,BetweentheDevilandtheDeepBlueSea,(1987)
Roorda,EricP.,TheDictatorNextDoor:TheGoodNeighborPolicyandtheTrujilloRegimeintheDominicanRepublic,1930-1945(1998)
Rozwadowski,SmallWorld:ForgingaScientificMaritimeCultureforOceanographyinIsis(1996)
SeaEducationAssociation(SEA),SciencelogbookoftheSSVCorwithCramer(variouscruises/years)
Sealey,NeilE.,TourismintheCaribbean(1982)
Sealey,NeilE.,CaribbeanWorldaCompleteGeography(1992)
Segar,Douglas,IntroductiontoOceanSciences,Onlinetext,http://www.reefimages.com/oceans/oceans.html(2013)
Striffler,SteveandMoberg,Marked.BananaWars–Power,Production,andHistoryintheAmericas(2005)
Watts,David,TheWestIndies:PatternsofDevelopment,CultureEnvironmentalChangesince1492(1987)
ExpectationsandRequirements:
• Punctualattendanceisrequiredateveryclassmeeting.• Activeparticipationinclassdiscussionisexpected.• Lateassignmentsubmissions(withoutpriorclearancebyfaculty)arenotaccepted.• Thepolicyonacademicaccuracy,quotedbelow,willbestrictlyfollowedinthisclass.
Thewrittenworkthatyousubmitinthiscourseisexpectedtobeyouroriginalwork.Youmusttakecaretodistinguishyourownideasandknowledgefromwordingorsubstantiveinformationthatyouderivefromoneofyoursources.Theterm“sources”includesnotonlypublishedprimaryandsecondarymaterial,butalsoinformationandopinionsgaineddirectlyfromotherpeopleandtextthatyoucutandpastefromanysiteontheInternet. Theresponsibilityforlearningtheproperformsofcitationlieswithyou.Quotationsmustbeplacedproperlywithinquotationmarksandmustbecitedfully.Inaddition,allparaphrasedmaterialmustbeacknowledgedcompletely.Wheneverideasorfactsarederivedfromyourreadingandresearch,thesourcesmustbeindicated.(HarvardHandbookforStudents,305)
• Considerationsforuseofinternetsources:Asyoubrowsewebsites,assesstheirusefulnessverycritically.Whopostedtheinformationandwhy?Canyoutrustthemtobecorrect?Authoritative?Unbiased?(It’sokaytousea
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
biasedsourceaslongasyouincorporateitknowinglyandtransparentlyintoyourownwork.)Keeptrackofgoodsourcesthatmightbeusefulforsubsequentassignments,andannotateinyourbibliographyanysitesyoucite.Yourannotationshouldincludethenameoftheauthorororganizationoriginatinganymaterialthatyoureference.Ifyoucan’tidentifythesource,don’tuseit!
CourseCalendar:
Topic Readings/AssignmentsDueWeek1(9hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
IntroductiontoCaribbeanReefExpeditionprogramandMarineEnvironmentalHistory(MEH);Overviewofcoursegoals&assignments
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• PilotChartExercise&HistoricVoyages
(jointw/allcourses)• WhatisEnvironmentalHistory?
MethodsandApproaches• IntroductiontoPrimaryHistorical
Documents• TheCaribbean‘Landscape’–climate,
current,&geologicsettingexplained(withOGC)
• NaturalHistoryIllustration,PartI:Art&illustrationasameansofscientificcommunication
QuissettHarborFieldTrip
Readings:Bolster(2008)Rediker(1987):SelectedchaptersMcNeil(2010)Sealey(1992)Segar(2013):Selectedportions
ReviewandchooseHistoricalDocument
Week2(3hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• IslandBiogeography&Introductions–
speciation,biodiversity,andextinctionprocesses(withOGC)
• 16th–18thcenturyland-useandbioprospectingintheCaribbean
• MarineBiologicalClassification(withOGC)
Readings:Crosby(1972)Crosby(1986)McCook(2002)Nybakken&Bertness(2005):Selected
portionsSegar(2013):Selectedportions
Week3(4hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• Naturalists&ScienceatSeainAtlantic
Readings:DelbourgoandDew,Eds.(2008)
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
World&19thcentury• ProductiontoPollution–nutrient
cycles,eutrophication,algaeblooms(withOGC)
• DevelopmentoftheMarineSciences
Nybakken&Bertness(2005):Selectedportions
Rozwadowski(1996)SEA,SciencelogbookofCorwithCramer,
(variouscruises/years)
Researchpaperproposalsdue
Week4(7hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHoleLecture/DiscussionTopics:
• Marineecologypopulationdynamics,foodwebs,trophiccascades(withOGC)
• UnitedFruitCompany,ContemporaryTourism&CruiseShips
• NaturalScienceIllustration,PartII:Techniques–perspective,depth,shading,pencil,pen,andink
Documentpresentationsbystudents.
Readings:Adams(1914)StrifflerandMoberg(2005)Nybakken&Bertness(2005):Selected
portionsSealey(1982)
Week5(10hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
FieldTriptoJohnCarterBrownLibraryinProvidence,RhodeIsland
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• ColonialLegacies–Changingnotionsof
sustainabletourism• Fisheries–maximumsustainableyield,
shiftingbaselinesDocumentpresentationsbystudents.Peer-reviewmeetings/workshop.
Readings:Butler,Ed.(2006)Grove(1995)Jacksonetal.,Eds.(2011)Watts(1987)
Week6(5hours)–onshoreatSEAcampusinWoodsHole
Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• SugarCultivation:Thelegacyofacash
crop• CruiseResearchPlan/Briefing(with
OGC)• NaturalScienceIllustration,PartIII:
Techniques–compositionandwatercolor
Readings:Diamond(2005)–Chapter11OneIsland,Two
Peoples,TwoHistories:TheDominicanRepublicandHaiti
Roorda(1998)–selectchapters
FinalMEHDocumentingChangeResearchPaperdue
Week7(4hours)–atfieldstationintheU.S.VirginIslands
VisitingSpeakerswithDiscussion:VirginIslandsEnvironmentalResource
Readings:
SEASemester®:CaribbeanReefExpedition
Station(VIERS),NationalParkService(NPS),U.S.GeologicalSurvey,UniversityoftheVirginIslands,etc.
LocalHistoryselectionsandNPSliterature
NaturalScienceIllustrationFieldjournalentries
Week8(4hours)–atfieldstationintheU.S.VirginIslands
VisitingSpeakerswithDiscussion:U.S.FishandWildlife,St.CroixEnvironmentalAssociation,TheNatureConservancy,dive/touroperators,etc.
Fieldjournalentries
Week9(9hour)–atsea
PortStopOrientationandPlanning
PortStopVisit#1• Guidedfieldtrips• Independentstudentexploration
PortStopDebriefandDiscussion
Port-specificreadings
NaturalScienceIllustration:marineorganisms
Week10(8hours)–atsea
PortStopVisit#2• Guidedfieldtrips• Independentstudentexploration
PortStopDebriefandDiscussion
Port-specificreadings
Fieldjournalentries
Week11(8hours)–atsea
PortStopVisit#3• Guidedfieldtrips• Independentstudentexploration
PortStopDebriefandDiscussion
Port-specificreadings
Fieldjournalentries
NaturalScienceIllustration:islandhabitat
Week12(4hours)–atsea
PortStopPresentations(2afternoons) PortStopAddendumtoMEHChangeResearchProjectdue