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Syllabus:

Arctic Ecosystems, 15 Credits

The course is discontinued from 2021-06-21

Swedish name: Arktiska Ekosystem

This syllabus is valid: 2010-09-20 and until further notice

Course code: 5BI126

Credit points: 15

Education level: Second cycle

Main Field of Study and progress level: Biology: Second cycle, in-depth level of the course cannot be classified

Grading scale: Three-grade scale

Responsible department: Department of Ecology and Environmental Science

Revised by: Faculty Board of Science and Technology, 2021-06-21

Contents

The course provides extended knowledge of processes across Arctic and Subarctic terrestrial ecosystems. It provides understanding of how ecosystem processes are regulated by abiotic and biotic factors, such as nutrient availability, the Arctic climate and plant-soil-organism interactions and its relationship to the ecosystem function. Particular focus will be on potential impacts of changes in climate on ecosystem processes and on feedback mechanisms from arctic ecosystems to the climate system. The course provides an overview of how controls and impacts on ecosystem processes depend on temporal and spatial scales. Excursions to various ecosystems are included. The course is given by researchers at the Climate Impacts Research Centre and has a strong connection to on-going research.

Part 1. Theoretical part, 7.5 ECTS credits. This part consists of lectures, seminars and excursions to provide in-depth knowledge about ecological processes in Arctic and Subarctic terrestrial environments. Ecological questions are approached from the process through the landscape level. The impacts of climate change on Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems and their potential feedbacks are discussed. We will also discuss how temporal variations affect these processes.

Part 2. Project work, 7.5 ECTS credits. This part consists of an extended experimental study of abiotic and biotic processes in an arctic-subarctic terrestrial ecosystem to provide hands-on experience in Arctic ecological research. The study will be conducted in small groups and consist of a full scientific research cycle, including formulation of research questions and hypotheses based on published literature, planning, field work and analysis of data. The hypotheses will be tested and the results will be presented as a written scientific report and at a seminar.

Expected learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student should be able to:

Part 1
- understand important ecological mechanism in the Arctic and Subarctic environment from a process to a landscape level.
- analyze the potential impacts of different climate change factors on Arctic and Subarctic ecosystem and understand feedback mechanisms on the climate

Part 2
- plan and conduct a scientific research project
- resent the results orally and as a written project report
- analyze, evaluate and discuss scientific literature

Required Knowledge

120 ECTS credits including 60 ECTS in Biology of which 15 ECTS in Ecology or 60 ECTS earth science/physical geography and 15 ECTS in ecology, or equivalent knowledge.

Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English A (IELTS (Academic) with a minimum overall score of 5.5 and no individual score below 5.0. TOEFL PBT
(Paper-based Test) with a minimum total score of 530 and a minimum TWE score of 4. TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test) with a minimum total score of 72 and a minimum score of 17 on the Writing Section).
Where the language of instruction is Swedish, applicants must prove proficiency in Swedish to the level required for basic eligibility for higher studies.

Form of instruction

The teaching includes lectures, excursions (including safety instruction), terrestrial ecological field and laboratory techniques. Seminars, excursions and laboratory work are mandatory. An extended project work is obligatory, which 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 (part 1) and an oral and written presentation of a project (part 2). The project should analyze processes relevant for the Subarctic-Alpine communities. The grades of 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 can not retake this examination in order to attempt to achieve a higher 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 university's guidelines and credit-of-transfer-ordinance.)

Literature

The literature list is not available through the web. Please contact the faculty.