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Syllabus:

Arctic geoecology, 15 Credits

The course is discontinued from 2021-06-21

Swedish name: Arktisk geoekologi

This syllabus is valid: 2010-08-30 valid to 2010-09-12 (newer version of the syllabus exists)

Course code: 5BI124

Credit points: 15

Education level: Second cycle

Main Field of Study and progress level: Biology: Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements

Grading scale: Three-grade scale

Responsible department: Department of Ecology and Environmental Science

Contents

The course examines global environmental changes and their consequences for biogeochemical processes in arctic and subarctic ecosystems. Theoretical studies are combined with practical field studies. The course has a strong connection to on-going research. The course is divided into two parts: Part 1. Biogeochemical processes and the climate in Arctic and Subarctic environments, 7.5 ECTS credits This part gives extended knowledge about biogeochemical processes in Arctic and Subarctic environments and how these affect the aquatic ecosystem. The linkage between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, transport of nutrients and green house gases are emphasized. Effects of past and present climate change on biological and geochemical processes and feedback mechanisms to the climate system are of special importance. The local climate and future climate change is discussed and excursions to different types of ecosystems is included. Part 2. Project work, 7.5 ECTS credits This part includes an extended study of abiotic/biotic processes in an arctic-subarctic ecosystem. The study can be conducted individually or in a group and be based on a combination of own sampled and previously published data. One part of the study should be field work and analysis of samples. The data should be evaluated and presented as a written report and at a seminar. The project work should be conducted in a scientific way.

Expected learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student should be able to: Part 1 - analyse different biogeochemical processes in the Arctic and Subarctic environment and understand how these can affect the aquatic ecosystems - understand the coupling between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and transport of nutrients and green-house gases in the Arctic and Subarctic environment - analyse different effects of climate change on the Arctic and Subarctic ecosystem and understand feedback mechanisms of green-house gases on the climate system Part 2 - conduct a project and present the results orally and as a written project report - analyse, evaluate and discuss scientific reports

Required Knowledge

60 ECTS credits in biology or equvivalent knowledge. English proficiency equivalent to IELTS Academic Training –minimum score 5.0 with no individual score below 4.5 (Tests taken before January 2005 not admissible or TOEFL – minimum score 500 on paper based test and not below 4.0 on the TWE, Alternatively 173 on computer based test with iBT61 is also required as well as basic entrance requirements for higher studies in Swedish language proficiency if the course in taught in Swedish.

Form of instruction

The teaching includes lectures, aquatic, terrestrial and paleolimnological field and laboratory techniques. An extended project work is obligatory. The project will be presented in a written report and at a seminar.

Examination modes

Examination of the course is both in the form of written exam and an oral and written presentation of a project. The project should analyze processes relevant for the subarctic-alpine communities. The grades on the written exam, the project and the course as a whole, are Failed, Passed and Passed with distinction. A student that has performed two test for a course or part of a course without getting the grade passed, has the right to get a new examiner appointed, if there are no particular reasons against it (HF 6 chapter 22§). The request for a new examiner is sent to the prefect for the department of ecology and environmental science. A student who has achieved a passed grade on an examination may not retake this examination in order to attampt to achieve a higer grade. To pass the whole course, all tests must be passed and compulsory parts performed. The grade on the course is a combined assessment of all the different parts of the examinations and is awarded when all compulsory parts are performed. CREDIT TRANSFER Credit transfers are always tried individually (See the universitys guidelines and credit-of-transfer-ordinance)

Literature

Valid from: 2010 week 35

Ask J. et al. 2009:
Whole lake estimates of carbon flux through algae and bacteria in benthic and pelagic habitats of clear-water lakes.
Ecology 90: : 1923-1932 :

Battin T.J. et al. 2009:
The boundless carbon cycle.
Nature Geoscience 2: : 598-600 :

Birks H.H. et al. 2006
Multi-proxy studies in palaeolimnology.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 15: : 235-251 :

Björk R.G. et al. 2007
Linkages between N turnover and plant community structure in a tundra landscape.
Plant and Soil 294: : 247-261 :

Callaghan T.V. et al. 2004
Past Changes in Arctic Terrestrial Ecosystems, Climate and UV Radiation.
Ambio 33: : 398-403 :

Elser J.J. et al. 2009
Shifts in Lake N:P Stoichiometry and Nutrient Limitation Driven by Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition.
Science 326: : 835-837 :

Humborg et al. 2004
Nutrient variations in boreal and subarctic rivers Swedish rivers: landscape control of land-sea fluxes.
Limnol. and Ocean. 49: : 1871-1883 :

IPCC report 2007
Climate Change. The Physical Science Basis.

Jansson M. et al. 2008
Links between terrestrial primary productin and lake mineralization and CO2 emission in a climate gradient in subarctic Sweden.
Ecosystems 11: : 367-376, DOI: 10.1007/s10021-008-9127-2 :

Johansson M. et al. 2006
What determines the current presence or absence of permafrost in the Torneträsk region, a Subarctic landscape in northern Sweden?
Ambio 35: : 190-197 :

Kalbitz et al. 2000
Controls on the dynamics of dissolved organic matter in soils: a review.
Soils Science 165: : 277-300 :

Karlsson J. 2007
Different carbon support for community respiration and secondary production in unproductive lakes.
Oikos 116: : 1691-1696 :

Karlsson J. et al. 2008
Winter respiration of allochthonous and autochthonous organic carbon in a subarctic clear-water lake.
Limnology and Oceanography 53: : 948-954 :

Karlsson J. et al. 2009
Light limitation of nutrient-poor lake ecosystems.
Nature 460: : 506-509 :

Klaminder et al. 2008
An explorative study of mercury export from a thawing palsa mire.
JGR-Biogeosciencis 114:G04034 :

Klaminder et al. 2009
Soil carbon accumulatin in the dry tundra: the important role played by precipitation.
JGR-Biogeosciencis 114:G04005 :

Macdonald R.W. 2005
Climate Change, Risks and Contaminants: A Perspective from Studying the Arctic.
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 11: : 1099-1104 :

Peterson B. et al. 1987
Stable isotopes in ecosystem studies
Annual review of ecology and systematics : 293-302, 304-305, 307-309 :

Rosén P. 2005
Total organic carbon (TOC) of lake water during the Holocene inferred from lake sediments and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in eight lakes from northern Sweden.
Biogeochemistry 76: : 503-516 :

Rosén P. et al. 2009
Effects of climate on organic carbon and ratio of planktonic to benthic primary producers in a subarctic lake during the past 45 years.
Limnology and Oceanography 54: : 1723-1732 :

Rydberg et al. (submitted)
Climate driven release of carbon and mercury from permafrost mires increases mercury loading to subarctic lakes.

Smedberg E. et al. 2006
Modeling hydrology and silicon-carbon interactions in taiga and tundra biomes from a landscape perspective: implications for global warming feedbacks.
Global Biogeochemical Cycles 20: : GB2014 :

Smol J.P. et al.
Tracking long-term changes in climate using algal indicators in lake sediments.
Journal of Phycology 36: : 986-1011 (15 pages) :

Striegl R.G. et al. 2001
Carbon dioxide partial pressure and 13C content of north temperate and boreal lakes at spring ice melt.
Limnology and Oceanography 46: : 941-945 :

Tranvik L.J. et al. 2009
Lakes and reservoirs as regulators of carbon cycling and climate.
Limnology and Oceanography 54: : 2298-2314 (15 pages) :

Vincent W. 2008
Effects of climate change on lakes. Encyclopedia of inland waters.
Elsevier: : p. 1-6 :

Walter K.M. et al. 2006
Methane bubbling from Siberian thaw lakes as a positive feedback to climate warming.
Nature 443: : 71-75 :

Walwoord M. et al. 2007
Increased groundwater to stream discharge from permafrost thawing in the Yukon River basin: potential impacts on lateral export of carbon and nitrogen.
Geophysical Research Letters 34: : L12402 :

Åkerman J. et al. 2008
Thawing Permafrost and Thicker Active Layers in Subartic Sweden.
Permafrost Periglacial Processes 19: : 279-292 :