autumn 2019 BIO-3024 Northern Biodiversity Hotspots: taxonomy field courses - 5 ECTS
Course content
Biodiversity loss, often referred to as biodiversity crisis, is a global environmental problem causing international concern and demanding urgent counteracting measures. Biodiversity is commonly defined in terms of a number of species present in a particular environment, or in total in the world. This makes species not only one of the fundamental biological concepts but also a focus of global conservation efforts. That is why practical experience with morphology based species identification is in high demand in both basic and applied biological research.
During the year 2019 we offer two options both taking place in parallel groups at the Skibotn field station from 29 July to 3 August:
Option 1. "Flora of Skibotn, plant collection and identification", Skibotn field station, Troms, Norway, August. Skibotn area has a remarkably high species number for such northern latitudes (68-69 degrees N) challenging the general concept that species richness decreases as latitude increases. Daily excursions to both lowland and mountain habitats will be combined with practical work in the class to identify the collected materials using the identification keys and learn diagnostic characters of plant taxa.
Option 2. "Entomology hands-on: collecting, sorting, species ID". The course aims to present several aspects of insect handling in field and in collections. Different methods and techniques for collecting, sorting, identifying, and preserving will be taught. We will broadly cover different taxonomic levels, and provide some opportunities to dive deeper into some of them. Station Linné is coordinating the largest Malaise trap project ever run in Scandinavia: "SMTP", Swedish Malaise Trap Project, and preserved SMTP-material will be one of the parts of the course content.
See additional information about these two course options on FORBio webpages
ForBio members that are MSc-, PhD-students or PostDocs in Norway can have travel and living costs covered (contact ForBio) http://www.forbio.uio.no/events/
Assessment
Oral exam. Examination will include identification of collected specimens (from the groups not mentioned during this course) using published keys in Norwegian or English. Grades: Passed/Failed.
Re-sit exam:
There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.
Error rendering component
- About the course
- Campus: Tromsø |
- ECTS: 5
- Course code: BIO-3024
- Responsible unit
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology