autumn 2018
BIO-2503 Freshwater Ecology - 10 ECTS

Application deadline

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester. Concerns only admission to singular courses. Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Type of course

The course is available for students at the study program Biologi, klima og miljø and Miljøledelse og forurensningsbiologi and exchange students at a biology study program. The course is available as a singular course.

Admission requirements

Nordic applicants: Admission requirements are generell studiekompetanse + REALFA.

Application code: 9336

International applicants: Higher Education Entrance Qualification and certified language requirements in English. A list of the requirements for the Higher Education Entrance Qualification in Norway can be found on the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education website - nokut.no  

All applicants: The course requires basic knowledge in biology and ecology at university level. Basic knowledge in chemistry and mathematics is an advantage.


Course content

The course gives a broad introduction to freshwater ecology in lakes and river systems. The main topics are basic limnology (physical and chemical processes) and the ecology of phyto- and zooplankton, benthic plants and invertebrates, and freshwater fishes. The fish ecology part covers postglacial immigration and migrations of fishes, fish communities, ecological interactions, ecological induced speciation, analyses of fish populations and problems related to human activity in subarctic lakes and rivers. A compulsory semester thesis is given as a small research training exercise based on own data from the field course.

Objectives of the course

Give fundament for the master degree specialization in Freshwater Ecology.

Language of instruction and examination

English

Teaching methods

The course has a 5 day field-course at Kilpis Biological Station (Finland), lectures (24 hours), lab course (10 hours), seminar and colloquium. Necessary safety training will be given.

Assessment

One term paper and an oral exam. The final grade for the course is based upon a complete evaluation of the term paper and the oral exam.

The exam will be assessed with a graded scale of five marks from A to E for pass and F for fail.

There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.


Recommended reading/syllabus

Available on request

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  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 10
  • Course code: BIO-2503