NBIB14015U Applied Marine Biology (Marin)

Volume 2024/2025
Education

BSc Programme in Biology

Content

The course aims at linking knowledge on marine environment and organisms with applied cases, where such knowledge is required (e.g. climate change, eutrophication, pollution). The course will be based on 3-5 themes representing specific applied issues, which will provide the frame for understanding and assessing the potentials, limitations and environmental effects of human activities on marine ecosystem structure and function. The cases will be presented in a scientific context, where an understanding of the underlying basic physiological and ecological processes will provide the foundation for evaluating, predicting and managing environmental effects of human activities on marine systems. Each theme will involve lectures, student presentations and theoretical exercises. Students will work in groups and deliver a written report for each theme.

Learning Outcome

To provide the students with an understanding of the various environmental implications of human influence and exploitation of the living resources for marine ecosystem structure and functioning, and how such effects are linked to the physical and chemical environment.

The student will achieve the ability to:

  • Evaluate the potential impacts of different types of algal blooms
  • Provide an overview of the potential effects of climate change on marine ecosystems
  • Assess and predict environmental effects of aquaculture
  • Understand the background and effects of eutrophication and pollution of coastal marine ecosystems


Knowledge:

  • Identify the main groups of organisms in aquatic ecosystems (viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytes, benthic organisms and fish) and their trophic interactions
  • Understand key biological processes involved in marine primary production and biogeochemical cycling
  • Identify central marine habitats and describe their characteristics


Skills:

  • Describe the role of marine microorganisms in local and global biogeochemical cycling.
  • Describe the effects of climate change on marine systems, exemplified by selected groups of organisms.
  • Determine major anthropogenic influences on aquatic systems in offshore, coastal and estuarine habitats.


Competences:

  • Determine the resource requirements (bottom‐up) and trophic interactions (top‐down) for aquatic organisms
  • Describe the effects of increased nutrient input to aquatic systems, with particular emphasis on coastal ecosystems.
  • Develop strategies for predicting and managing anthropogenic effects on coastal marine environments
Literature

See Absalon.

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 18
  • Preparation
  • 117,5
  • Theory exercises
  • 70
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Total
  • 206,0
Written
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
Type of assessment details
The final exam has 20 minutes preparation time. The student is examined in one of the themes and the associated part of the suggested reading.
Exam registration requirements

In order to be allowed to the final exam, the student must have handed in the reports for all the themes. Furthermore, the mandatory reports must have been approved at least by Monday in the 8th week of the course.
 

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

The same as the ordinary exam.

If the requirements are not fulfilled, they can be fulfilled before the reexamination. All reports must be approved no later than three weeks before reexamination.

Criteria for exam assesment

See "Learning Outcome".