AB-204
Arctic Ecology and Population Biology (15 ECTS)

	Course period:	Spring semester, annually
	Language of instruction:	English
	Credit reduction/overlap:	None
	Grade:	Letter grade (A through F)
	Course materials:	The course is based upon the book by Gotelli, NJ. (4. ed.): “A primer of Ecology” (291 pp.); compendiums, relevant book chapters and articles from the primary literature (ca. 300 pp.).
	Course responsible:	Ole Jørgen Lønne
	Course costs:	Ca. 4 days fieldwork (NOK 800.-).

Required previous knowledge/specific course requirements:
60 ECTS within general natural sciences, of which 30 ECTS within the field of biology.

Learning outcome:

After the course, the students will have knowledge about fundamental theories of modern ecology including single species populations, two-species interactions and community and systems measures. The students will have the basis for understanding how various organisms meet the challenges of life in the Arctic. They will be able to explore simple models using the software system R. They will earn skills in how to handle selected tools used in ecology to collect and process biological data and to write scientific reports based on the data collected during fieldwork.

Academic content:
The course gives an introduction to the challenges that various organisms meet when living in the Arctic, and describes how individuals adapt to and populations and communities are affected by the arctic environment. The concept of food-webs will be introduced. The fundamentals of population dynamics are presented, emphasizing single species dynamics, trophic interactions, and effects of environmental changes in time and space (climate, habitat heterogeneity). The adaptations to life in the arctic will be introduced looking particularly at life-history parameters and reproductive strategies.

Past and future effects of climate change on the ecology and population biology of Arctic organisms will be discussed. The theories presented will be exemplified with case studies from various Arctic organisms. An introduction to Arctic field and lab studies will be given to illustrate different aspects of ecology and population biology.

Teaching methods and activities:
The course extends over a full semester.

Total lecture hours: 60 hours.
Total seminar hours: 30 hours.
Laboratory work and field excursions: 30 hours.

Compulsory assignment:

Field- and laboratory exercises.

Assessment:

All assessments must be fulfilled in order to receive a final grade.

AB-204 students sampling in Billefjorden. (Photo: Malin Daase/UNIS).