This course is largely structured in parallel with the Cambridge International AICE Marine Science (9693) curriculum, AS Level. You can view the course syllabus here:
AICE Marine Science AS Level
The first section of this course has been labeled “Introduction to Marine Science.” This is somewhat outside the normal course structure but is often offered in this way so as to provide a brief overview of the entire scope before diving into the more detailed units. It’s helpful for gaining a big picture view of the content, but maybe skipped if time is short, as there are no specific testable questions being addressed in this introductory unit.
Otherwise, please continue on to Unit 1, “The Properties of Water” using the navigation menus. And if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to email us at:
[email protected]
Marine Science - AICE Level AS
Introduction to AICE Marine Science
In this introductory lesson, we'll discuss "The Cambridge Way," and how it differs from the typical approaches to curriculum in The United States. This is especially true when it comes to test questions, as we'll see throughout this course.
Every Cambridge exam question begins with a command word — describe, explain, discuss, evaluate, and so on — and that single word is the most important part of the question. It sets out exactly what kind of thinking your answer must show, and therefore how the marks will be awarded.
This is a quick preview of some of the topics we will be covering in AICE Marine Science AS Level, as well as a brief history of marine science.
An understanding of particle theory, including the structure of atoms and ions, and how they bond together to form compounds, helps to explain the properties of water and other substances important to marine life.
Sea water is a solution made up of many different solutes dissolved in water. Various environmental factors affect
the solubility of salts and gases in sea water. Hydrogen ion concentration is particularly important, as this affects pH
Density is a measure of the mass of a defined volume of water, and is affected by temperature, pressure and salinity. Density differences help to maintain temperature and salinity gradients in the oceans, which affect the distribution of
organisms.
These are Cambridge-style practice questions to help prepare for he exam. Please take a screenshot of your results at the end and submit them for grading.
Discuss each type of plate boundary, describing and explaining processes that operate. Use labelled diagrams to keep the processes easy to understand. Extend the descriptions to explain how ocean trenches, mid-ocean ridges, hydrothermal vents, abyssal plains, volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis form at or near to tectonic boundaries.
Tectonic processes create large-scale structures, but weathering and erosion shape coastlines and landscapes over time.
The ocean is constantly moving. Some movements are vertical, others horizontal. Understanding tides and currents helps explain nutrient distribution, coastal change, and global climate regulation.
These are Cambridge-style practice questions to help prepare for he exam. Please take a screenshot of your results at the end and submit them for grading.
Interactions in Marine Ecosystems
A symbiotic relationship is a close interaction between two different species that live in close proximity to one another. In many cases, one organism lives on or inside the other for a significant portion of its life. There are three main types of symbiosis: parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism.
Feeding relationships describe how energy flows through a marine ecosystem. Every organism needs energy to survive, grow, and reproduce, and this energy is transferred from one organism to another through feeding.
Marine ecosystems depend not only on energy flow, but also on the continuous movement and recycling of nutrients. While energy flows in one direction through ecosystems and is eventually lost as heat, nutrients are recycled again and again.
Please complete this digital test, take a screenshot of your score, and upload it for credit.
Classification and Biodiversity
The oceans are home to an incredible diversity of life, from microscopic plankton to the largest animals on Earth. In order to study and understand this vast range of organisms, scientists use a system called classification.
Marine ecosystems contain an extraordinary variety of organisms, ranging from microscopic plankton to large vertebrates like fish and marine mammals. To understand how these organisms function and interact, scientists group them based on shared characteristics.
Please close all other tabs and complete the following quiz without the use of notes.
The oceans are home to an extraordinary variety of life, from microscopic plankton to massive whales. This variety is known as biodiversity, and it is one of the most important concepts in marine science.
Understanding marine ecosystems requires more than just identifying organisms—you also need to understand how they are distributed, how many there are, and how they interact with their environment.
Please close all other tabs and complete the following quiz without the use of notes.
Please complete this digital test, take a screenshot of your score, and upload it for credit.
Examples of Marine Ecosystems
The open ocean covers more than 70% of the planet’s surface, making it the largest ecosystem on Earth. Even more impressively, it contains about 99% of the habitable space available for life. This lesson reviews some of the material from our introductory unit with added details.
Tropical coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. Their success depends on a combination of biological interactions, environmental conditions, and long-term geological processes. Understanding coral reefs helps explain how marine ecosystems function—and why they are so vulnerable to change.
Rocky shores are some of the most dynamic and challenging marine environments on Earth. Found along coastlines where solid rock meets the sea, these habitats are shaped by powerful wave action, changing tides, and constant exposure to both marine and terrestrial conditions.
andy shores are among the most familiar coastal environments, yet they are also some of the most physically challenging places for organisms to live.
Mangrove forests are among the most unique and productive ecosystems on Earth. Found along tropical and subtropical coastlines, these ecosystems exist in the littoral (intertidal) zone, where land is regularly flooded and exposed by tides.
Please complete this quiz and submit a screenshot of your results.
About the teacher
Ocean Ambassador
A marine science teacher dedicated to engaging high school students with the important conservation issues of our time.
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