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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


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.


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)


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)


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


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


Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• Naturalists&ScienceatSeainAtlantic

Readings:DelbourgoandDew,Eds.(2008)


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)


FieldTriptoJohnCarterBrownLibraryinProvidence,RhodeIsland

Lecture/DiscussionTopics:• ColonialLegacies–Changingnotionsof

sustainabletourism• Fisheries–maximumsustainableyield,

shiftingbaselinesDocumentpresentationsbystudents.Peer-reviewmeetings/workshop.

Readings:Butler,Ed.(2006)Grove(1995)Jacksonetal.,Eds.(2011)Watts(1987)


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:


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




Fieldjournalentries





Fieldjournalentries

NaturalScienceIllustration:islandhabitat


PortStopPresentations(2afternoons) PortStopAddendumtoMEHChangeResearchProjectdue