AB-321 Ecology of Arctic Marine Benthos (10 ECTS)
ID:
AB-321
CREDITS:
10 ECTS
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
March 01, 2025
START DATE:
August 11, 2025
END DATE:
September 19, 2025
COURSE PERIOD:
Autumn semester (August - September), every second year. Teaching block 5
AB-321/821 onboard R/V Helmer Hanssen. Photo: Fredrik Broms/Akvaplan-niva
| Grade: | Letter grade (A through F) |
| Course Cost: | ca. NOK 2000 (10 days x NOK 200 per overnight stay) |
| Course Capacity Min/Max: | 9/18 students (AB-321/821 in total) |
| Language of instruction: | English |
| Examination support material: | Bilingual dictionary between English and mother tongue |
Course requirements
Enrolment in a master program in biology or other relevant field, and knowledge similar to AB-202 Arctic Marine Biology.
Academic content
The students will gain insight into the taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of the main benthic species in Svalbard waters and the polar basin North of Svalbard. The course has a special emphasis on hands-on identification of benthos as well as processes important for understanding the Arctic marine ecosystem.
Lectures deal with identification of benthic species, life history and functional traits, trophic interactions and physical forcing. The practical fieldwork will be designed by the teachers and implemented into the course. Work during cruises will focus on several research projects that integrate acquired knowledge and skills, and will vary from year to year, targeting specific habitats or ecological processes.
Learning outcomes
Upon completing the course, the students will:
Knowledge
- understand biodiversity patterns and ecological interactions characteristic of high Arctic ecosystems
- have command over the taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of the main benthic species in Svalbard waters and the polar basin north of Svalbard.
Skills
- be able to identify common Arctic marine benthic species
- understand strengths and weaknesses of common benthic sampling techniques
- be able to formulate hypotheses, design sampling plans, present research projects, and syntesize results.
General competences
- have acquired practical experience relating field data into scientific contexts
- apply basic statistical analyses to data they have collected
- interpret field data to evaluate scientific questions and theory.
Learning activities
The course extends over 5 weeks, including compulsory safety training, and is run in combination with AB-821.
A one-week theoretical introduction and preparation of field activities will be followed by a 10-day research cruise. During this cruise, sampling will be conducted in different localities around Svalbard (fjord and off-shelf). The last part of the course (around 2 weeks) will contain lab exercises focused on species identification and other relevant analysis of the collected material on which an approved lab report will be submitted.
Summary
- Total lecture hours: 20 hours.
- Laboratory/exercises/seminars: 25 hours.
- Scientific cruise: 10 days.
Compulsory learning activities
- Field excursions
- Laboratory activities
- Cruise report writing
- Oral presentation.
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.
| Method | Duration |
Percentage of final grade
|
| Written exam | 5 hours | 60% |
| Practical exam | 3 hours | 40% |
Student life
