NBIK14013U Arctic Biology

Volume 2015/2016
Education

MSc Programme in Biology

Content

Lectures run throughout the course and present both aquatic and terrestrial themes, where the environmental characteristics of the Arctic are defined and described. In connection with this, diversity, population dynamics in time and space as well as ecological implications are covered. Morphological, physiological as well as reproductive adaptations and strategies are discussed for selected plant and animal groups. Important aspects such as effects of climate change, effects of ice and immigration after the glaciations are examined in details.

Learning Outcome

The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of:

  • Abiotic and biotic growth conditions in the Arctic
  • Adaptations of animals and plants
  • Diversity at all levels
  • Biological interactions in time and space in the Arctic
  • Climate changes implications


Knowledge:

  • Describe the special conditions for plants and animals in the marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments in the Arctic such as the physical and chemical situation, low temperatures, occurrence of ice, and nutrient and light availability.
  • Describe the dynamics and the production of terrestrial and aquatic Arctic ecosystems.
  • Identify the morphological, physiological and reproductive adaptations of animals and plants in relation to the arctic conditions, especially adaptations to low temperatures, short growing period and stochastic events.


Skills:

  • Analyse the diversity of Arctic organisms at the community, individual and genetic level in relation to the Arctic conditions.
  • Compare the vulnerability of arctic species to environmental conditions
  • Analyse the interactions among different organisms and the life history strategies in arctic animal and plant species.
  • Explain the main features of arctic species immigration after the last glaciations.
  • Evaluate the effects of climate change on arctic ecosystems and possible feed back mechanisms to the climate.


Competences:

  • Critically present and discuss scientific articles about arctic conditions
  • Mediate a specific, complex subject in a short, written form to a scientific audience

 

Literature

See Absalon.

The course runs for 9 weeks with 3-5 lectures per week and weekly mandatory seminars and exercises. At the seminars, research and review papers are presented and discussed by groups of students and the teachers. Individual and group take-home exercises are part of the syllabus. The detailed teaching procedures for each week are announced on Absalon. For most weeks, there will be a guest lecture from other research institutions who will present a research topic. These presentations will be followed by a discussion of the topic based on additional reading material. These sequences are also mandatory.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 50
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Guidance
  • 5
  • Lectures
  • 26
  • Preparation
  • 74,5
  • Theory exercises
  • 50
  • Total
  • 206,0
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination, 25 minutes
The exam consists of an essay (written assignment) and an oral part.

Toward the end of the course each student receives the title for a 5 page essay i.e., the written exam. The essays are written individually under guidance by one of the course teachers and must be handed in before a fixed date (typically 1-2 weeks; details are given during the course).

The oral part of the exam consists of a 10 min presentation of a subject different from the subject for the essay. The presentation is followed by questions (approximately 15 min) to the subject as well as the course curriculum as a whole. The title for the oral exam is handed out when the submission deadline for the essay expires. The last week of the course is used for preparation of the individual oral presentation and examination.

There is one final grade for the course where the written and the oral exam contribute equally to the grade. The written and the oral exam must be passed separately, and the written and the oral exam must be passed in the same exam period.
Exam registration requirements

The students must successfully have participated in all the exercises and have delivered all assignments.
If the requirement is not fulfilled, it can be fulfilled before the reexamination. All assignments must be delivered no later than two weeks before the registration period for the reexamination ends. All the assignments must be approved before the reexamination.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Criteria for exam assesment

See learning outcome.