Integrative Biology 158

Students enrolled in IB 158, Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Island (cross listed as ESPM 107, Geography 142, and IDS 158), spend the bulk of the semester at the UC Berkeley Gump Research Lab on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia.

The Moorea class works in Berkeley for 3 weeks, then spends 1 week on Moorea doing field trips to various parts of the island, before launching into 8 weeks of original research individually chosen by the students. The field work is rigorous, involving treks across Moorea and up streams, snorkling in the lagoon and off the forereef, transects across the reef and mudflats, and collecting plants.

On the left, Moorea students hike up stream valley to a high waterfall and pool to study the fish, shrimp, snails and other animals that migrate the entire length of the stream from the lagoon to above the 100 m tall waterfall.

Photo submitted by Jere Lipps.