Course code: BIO-8515
Climate change, marine ecosystems and tipping points in the Arctic Ocean
Campus
Semester / Year
Spring 2015
Credits
2
NOTE! This course belongs to a previous semester/year
About the course
Theoretical
The course will give an introduction to the background and definitions of tipping points, as well as quantitative methods to detect thresholds and tipping points in ecosystem components. Examples of changes in ecosystem processes in the marine Arctic due to climate change will be presented.
Objectives of the course
After the course the student should be able to:
- Sea ice.
- Metabolic processes in plankton
- The marine Arctic as a sink or source for atmospheric CO2
- Distribution of Arctic species.
- Explain the concept of tipping points.
- Describe methods for detecting thresholds and tipping points in time-series.
- Describe the basic prinsiples of the Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE).
- Give examples of different Arctic marine ecosystem components? responses to temperature increase.
- Discuss potential consequenses of increased temperature in the marine Arctic in relation to:
Understanding of the mechanisms for how the marine Arctic ecosystems may respond to extrinsic pressures (climate) in an abrupt and non-linear way
Teaching methods
Lectures. Intensive course, 3 days
Language of instruction and examination
EnglishRecommended reading/syllabus
Will be distributed in advance to students accepted for the courseAssessment
Short student presentation (powerpoint). Students own work put into the context of the course. Graded with: Pass/Fail
Error rendering component
