Marine Ecosystems Awareness Diver

Marine Ecosystems Awareness Diver

The certified diver looking for more information to about the underwater world and the impact of divers as well as others have on the environment. How we can preserve the underwater world for generations to come!

Divers have a vested interest in protecting the marine environment. In many cases, divers do not have environmental information about local sites. This specialty is designed to increase the open water diver’s understanding of marine and freshwater environments, the problems facing these unique ecosystems, and the role that diver’s play in protecting our marine resources.

The SDI Marine Ecosystems Awareness Diver course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:

  • Physical attributes
    • Temperature and thermoclines
    • Salinity and halocline
    • Dissolved gases
    • Light, as it applies to photosynthesis
    • Nutrient circulation
    • Waves and tides
    • Currents and nutrient cycling
  • Topographical features
  • Marine organisms
    • Plankton
    • Aquatic plants
    • Aquatic animals
    • Specific local animals
    • Aquatic food webs
    • Behavioral changes due to daily cycle
  • Ecosystems
    • Tropical reef
    • Temperate
    • Freshwater
  • Environmentally friendly diving techniques
    • Buoyancy control
    • Kick technique
    • Local considerations
  • Issues facing marine ecosystems
    • Issues of local interest
    • Global habitat destruction and pollution
    • Over fishing
  • Coral bleaching
  • Diver animal interactions
    • Intrusive
    • Non-intrusive
    • Feeding
    • Treating marine life injuries
  • Observation Techniques
    • Grids
    • Passive observation
  • Collection Methods

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:

At various sites complete the following:

  • Maintain good buoyancy control
  • Make general observations
    • Location
    • Bottom composition
    • Marine life
    • Special characteristics
    • Indications of human impact
  • Grid observations
    • Make two separate sets of grid observations during each dive
    • Describe all marine life for later identification
    • Record behavior
    • Log Dives
  • Compare and contrast the dive sites
  • Discuss the effect of human impacts
  • Discuss ways to minimize human impact

As long as you are 18 years or older (12 with parental consent) and in good physical condition, you can enroll in a Diver’s World Specialty course. You will also need to hold a NAUI or SDI Scuba Diver certification.

Click here to review our Medical History Questionnaire. Your safety is the most important thing to us: You may be asked to review your health with your family doctor just to be sure.

Your class fee will cover the costs of class, training materials, your Instructors and Dive Master, and SDI Specialty certification.

Student Provides

Students shall furnish and be responsible for the care and maintenance of their own diving equipment. You will need to have, or rent, all of the redundancy equipment required for the training dives.  The instructor shall initially assist the student in checking all student gear to ensure it is adequate and in proper working order.

100% Internet Price Matching*: Remember, if you find a lower price for the exact same item, we will match it!

 

*Some restriction apply. See store for details.

A minimum of two open water dives with your instructor  are required.

You will need to provide your own transportation, rental equipment, environmental suit and accommodations. Rental equipment is available through Diver’s World. Many of our local dives are within a couple of hours drive (or right here in our own Lake Erie or Presque Isle Bay) and classmates frequently arrange for travel together.

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