Instructor(s): Dr. Liam Coleman, SFU & Dr. Kate Schoenrock-Rossiter
Overview: An introduction to the taxonomic, morphological, and functional diversity of seaweeds, with an emphasis on the flora of the local area (Barkley Sound, British Columbia). The evolutionary history of seaweeds will be discussed. We will examine the ecological adaptations to life in the intertidal zone and evolutionary causes for the observed patterns of diversity. Students will be trained in biodiversity survey skills and quantitative analyses. In addition, students will complete a herbarium project of seaweed collections, thereby gaining experience preparing and preserving specimens for deposition in research collections. Students should expect to spend a good deal of time in the field, including a snorkeling trip to observe subtidal seaweeds. The course will conclude with individual/group student-led field or lab projects resulting in a final scientific report.
Practical Skills: You will develop skills in seaweed keying and field identification, herbarium specimen preparation, light microscopy, biodiversity sampling techniques, experimental design, data collection and analysis, and getting up early.
Prerequisites: Third year standing in biology or permission of the instructor.
Note: Students are permitted to take both our Summer seaweeds course (Biodiversity of Seaweeds) and Fall Semester seaweeds course (Ecological Adaptations of Seaweeds) for credit. These courses are set up to be complimentary to each other.
Physical Requirements: In this course, we have a roughly equal balance of class, lab, and field time. This means that we spend ~1/3 of our time in the field. Students can expect some early morning walks along gravel roads, plenty of time hiking across slippery and rocky beaches, and getting in and out of boats. There will also be several prolonged sessions of microscope work, so some sitting will be necessary.
Textbook: There is no required text, but the instructor recommends students purchase Pacific Seaweeds: Updated and Expanded Edition by Drs. Louis Druehl and Bridgette Clarkston. (You may ship your text to BMSC with c/o your name.)
Apply Now
Barkley Sound is one of the best places in the world to learn about seaweeds, owing to a diverse flora and wide array of habitats in close proximity to BMSC. Biodiversity of Seaweeds is three weeks (well) spent exploring the full potential of all of this seaweed-y greatness. The students spend many an early morning low tide exploring rocky shores, from wave sheltered habitats characterized by Fucus distichus, all the way out to shores exposed to the brute force of the open Pacific ocean, where Postelsia dwells.
We also explore subtidal habitats with snorkels and dredges, and all of these field trips allow the students to collect samples for keying in the lab and for pressing for a herbarium project. It is great to see the students start to recognize in the field all the features and species we introduced in lecture and lab. This half of the course is capped off with a flora test in the field.
For the last half of the course, students conduct an independent research project detailing the natural history of their ‘favourite’ alga. They will use local biodiversity databases and field observations to map the local distribution of their alga and present their findings in a scientific poster. This half of the course will conclude with student presentations.
Apply Now

Registration Details
University of Victoria:
MRNE 420 – Marine Phycology
Credit – 3 units
CRN #TBA
University of British Columbia
MRNE 401 A – Marine Phycology
Credit – 6 units
Registered by your department
Simon Fraser University
MASC 420 – Marine Phycology
Credit – 6 units
Registered by your department
University of Calgary
MRSC 420 – Marine Phycology
Credit – 6 units
CRN #TBA
University of Alberta
MRNE 401A/B– Biodiversity of Seaweeds
Credit – 6 units
Registered by your department