AB-330 Ecosystems in Ice Covered Waters (10 ECTS)

Teachers: Janne E. Søreide (UNIS, course responsible), Rolf Gradinger and Malin Daase (both UiT – the Arctic University of Norway), Cecilie von Quillfeldt (Norwegian Polar Institute).

Course requirements:

Enrolment in a master programme in biology.

Academic content:

This field-based course gives students both theoretical and hands-on knowledge on Arctic sea ice ecosystems. The course aims to give an overview of current knowledge and methodology within sea ice biology and ecology, focusing on the lower trophic levels. This will give the students the necessary background to sample, analyse and discuss their own data collected during a week-long field excursion in sea ice covered ecosystems. Introduction to physical properties of light, snow, sea ice and hydrography will also be given, to better understand the physical constraints and drivers for structuring Arctic sea ice ecosystems. Mechanisms regulating the timing of key biological processes such as the ice algal and phytoplankton blooms and secondary production will be emphasized as well as sea ice biodiversity, and the trophic coupling and carbon flux between sea ice (sympagic), pelagic and benthic ecosystems.

The course may have a different geographical focus and research platforms depending on the selection of research projects by the lecturers, e.g. landfast sea ice in fjords (reached by snow mobile excursions) or the marginal ice zone (using larger research vessels). In 2018, landfast sea ice ecosystems in western and eastern Spitsbergen will be studied and run in parallel with ongoing research projects on sea ice ecosystems.

Learning outcomes:

Knowledge
Upon completing the course, the students will have:
Knowledge on species diversity and key functional groups in sea ice dominated ecosystems in the Arctic. In-depth understanding of which abiotic and biotic drivers that structure these unique ecosystems, and the linkages between the sea ice (sympagic), pelagic and benthic compartments. Extensive knowledge on important ecological processes in sea ice ecosystems (colonization, timing of algal blooms, succession, and trophic interactions), and general knowledge on physical properties of light, snow, sea ice (formation, age, structure etc.) and hydrography.

Skills
Upon completing the course, the students will have:
Taxonomic knowledge on common protists, meiofauna and meso- and macrofauna living within and in close association with sea ice. Practical training in operating various state-of-the art field-devices for collecting physical and biological data in sea ice covered environments. Competence to plan and carry out field studies under sometimes challenging Arctic conditions. Students will also improve their writing and oral skills based on assignments given during the course (see below).

General competences
Upon completing the course, the students will have:
Experience in safety standards related to work in harsh Arctic environments. Competence in design and implementation of research tasks as part of a team, and to communicate (orally and written) their research results to the scientific community.

Learning activities:

The course extends 5–6 weeks including compulsory safety training, and is run in combination with AB-830.

The course will start with a theoretical introduction and safety training (5–9 days) followed by extensive sampling activities on sea ice during the week-long field excursion. The students will get hands-on training in the main physical and biological field techniques and sample processing currently used in sea ice ecosystem studies. The samples will be analysed partly in field and partly at UNIS. The data produced will provide the basis for the written project report and poster presentation

Total lecture hours: 30 hours
Laboratory exercises / seminars: 30 hours
Excursion: Ca. 8 days
Data analysis and presentations: 14 hours.

Compulsory learning activities:

Field excursions and laboratory work.
All compulsory learning activities must be approved in order to sit the exam.

Assessment:

All assessments must be passed in order to pass the course.
Each assessment is graded, and subsequently combined into a single grade. Partial grades for each assessment will be available.

Application deadline: 15 October 2017

AB-330/830 net sampling in Van Mijenfjorden. Photo: Janne Søreide/UNIS

Work camp on sea ice in Van Mijenfjorden during AB-330/830 fieldwork. Photo: Janne Søreide/UNIS