NBIK14002U CANCELLED - Ecophysiology of Brackish Water Invertebrates

Volume 2015/2016
Education

MSc Programme in Biology

Content

The course focuses on the physiological adaptations needed in primarily benthic invertebrates allowing them to survive in brackish water areas. The inner Danish waters together with the Baltic Sea are the largest brackish water area (estuary) in the world. The estuary is characterized by large and rapid fluctuations of environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, oxygen and hydrogen sulfide). In the oceans, no severe physiological stress occurs because the environmental parameters are more or less constant. In estuaries, however, the fauna has to cope with a highly fluctuating environment in order to survive. This is achieved by presence of special physiological adaptations providing the animals with a physiological plasticity. The course focuses on these adaptations and gives a comprehensive understanding of the overall physiological challenge experienced by animals inhabiting brackish water habitats. The course will address topics such as aerobic and anaerobic respiration, oxygen depletion, sulfide toxticity, osmo-, ion- and volume regulation and how these physiological processes give the benthic fauna an increased tolerance to cope with the integrated effect of environmental fluctuations in time and space. The topic will be addressed in a series of lectures and by independently experimental research projects made by the students working in groups. Based on the conducted research project each group writes a research project report.

Learning Outcome

By attending the course the student will achieve:

Knowledge:
The student can describe and reflect on how brackish water environments affect animals and how they physiologically cope with this very fluctuating environment. The student will be able to identify physiological processes and place them in a comprehensive overview.

Skills:
The student will be able to handle some standard equipment for physiological research and use experimental methods. The student can analyze and explain experimental results and put them into a scientific context.

Competences:
The student has experience working independently with an experimental research project. The student can from theory design, initiate and manage an experimental study. The student can evaluate and put obtained results into a scientific perspective. The student has gained experience working in groups to solve scientific problems and to write a research report.

See Absalon.

Passed UC course in Marine Biology or equivalent.
Lectures and practical research project work.
The course is part of the qualification profile Marine Biology. For all courses of the qualification profile, see Course Portal for Department of Biology.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 4
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Guidance
  • 5
  • Lectures
  • 18
  • Preparation
  • 130
  • Project work
  • 40
  • Theory exercises
  • 8
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30 minutes
Written assignment
Written research project during the course.
30-minute oral defense of the written research project and course syllabus.

The grade is given on basis of an overall evaluation of the written report and the oral defence.

The part-exams must be passed in the same exam-period.
Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examinors
Re-exam

The written report can be revised before the re-exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

The student must be able to explain how brackish water environments affect animals and how they physiologically cope with this very fluctuating environment and relate this knowledge to the experimental research project made during the course. The student can demonstrate experience in experimental design, result analysis associated with the performed experimental project. The student must be thoroughly conversant with the literature associated to the report handed in and all written material handed out during the course.

The grade 12 is given for an oral exam if the student:

  • Is able to relate the research report results to the theories on the effects of brackish water environments on animal physiology

  • Is able to discuss methods and materials used to gather scientific data within the experimental research project

  • Is able to read and interpret scientific results and evaluate the scientific statements, including the use to statistical analytic tools

  • Is able to discuss the results of the research project as reported in the research report and to put them into the correct scientific context

  • Is able to suggest future laboratory experiments or field studies to further address the topic of the conducted research project