Dr Aaron Bartholomew, biology professor at the American University of Sharjah, on what it takes to become a marine biologist
Educator: Dr Aaron Bartholomew
Biology professor at the American University of Sharjah
He teaches at the College of Arts and Sciences. He spoke to Notes about the prospects of taking up marine biology as a career and how students can help maintain the UAE's long and beautiful coastline.
What is your doctorate degree in?
I have a PhD in marine sciences from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, USA. My research focused on predator/prey/ habitat relationships and a new way of measuring habitat complexity. I also worked on the taxonomy of polychaetes in that region.
Are you currently doing any research in marine biology in the UAE?
I am finishing some work I started in the US dealing with marine-protected areas, and revising manuscripts for publication. This spring I intend to do more research.
I intend to deploy artificial seagrass plots and other artificial structures and observe the marine fauna that colonise them. This will be a continuation of the work I did for my PhD.
I have also found a species of seagrass that is new to the Gulf, growing in Umm Al Quwain, and I want to report on its distribution there, and report on the marine fauna that inhabit the seagrass bed.
Do you teach courses on marine biology in AUS?
This semester I am teaching a new course in marine biology. It is a 400-level course and is fairly difficult, as I'm giving my students a lot of material to learn.
Apart from AUS, which other universities in the region offer courses in marine biology?
At AUS we have the marine biology course, but you have to take BIO-101, BIO-102 and ecology courses before you can enter it.
The UAE University in Al Ain has marine biology and fisheries-related courses. Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat has these courses too.
Does AUS have plans to offer a degree course in marine biology?
No, but we hope to be offering a major in biology soon. Right now we only have an environmental science degree with a concentration in biology.
Is the UAE's coastline deteriorating or is it more or less the same as when you arrived in the UAE?
Well, there have been some recent problems with mangrove destruction and shallow water habitat destruction due to certain large-scale development projects in coastal areas and there is always the threat of a large-scale oil spill.
The development of new marine-protected areas in the UAE is a very encouraging development.
Are any species becoming endangered or harmed in any way?
Based upon what I see in the fish markets, the UAE may need stricter fishing regulations and enforcement. Sharks are slow growing, take many years to mature and reproduce slowly. Most sharks should therefore not be harvested, yet you see them in the markets all the time.
Some of the fish in the markets are also very small, and it's probable that they have been caught before they have even reproduced once. This is characteristic of non-sustainable fishery. Some of the grouper (hammour) and snapper you see in the market are very small, for example.
UAE waters west of Abu Dhabi have the second largest population of endangered dugongs in the world after Australia and conservation efforts need to continue with this species. We also have endangered sea turtles in UAE waters.
Hawksbill sea turtles nest on UAE beaches, and green sea turtles supposedly do as well. It is important to protect sea turtle nesting sites. Endangered humpback whales, sperm whales, blue whales and fin whales have been seen off Oman and/or the east coast of the UAE.
What prospects does marine biology hold as a career? Why?
If you're interested in conservation, biology and marine life, and you don't mind working hard, then a career in marine biology might be for you. There's still a lot about marine life that needs to be discovered, and there's always work to be done in conserving our marine environment.
Do you know whether college students are taking an active interest in protecting marine life?
There's some interest locally as people participate in beach clean-ups and divers clean up sites underwater. Most biology students get at least some marine biology in any biology course they take at universities here.
There could be more education locally, however. The marine environment of the UAE is biologically richer than the terrestrial environment, and there are many interesting things that students could learn.
In order to maintain the coastline, are there some tips that we as students can follow when we spend a day at the beach?
Avoid littering wherever you are. Plastic bags are particularly bad be-cause most of the sea turtle species in UAE waters eat jellyfish as part of their diets, and they may eat plastic bags by mistake, potentially leading to death.
Other marine animals can become entangled in garbage as well. Bringing a garbage bag with you and collecting trash from the beach is a great way to help marine life and keep the UAE beautiful.
Also, if you are in a region with corals, be certain not to stand on them or touch them in any way. Touching corals may kill them.
