course-details-portlet

BI3037 - Freshwater Ecology

About

Examination arrangement

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Evaluation Weighting Duration Grade deviation Examination aids
School exam 100/100 4 hours E

Course content

The course covers properties of water and the significance of these properties for the structuring of plants and animals on the individual-, population- and community level. The course covers spatial and temporal variation in natural ecosystems, including effects of human activity and climate change. Important topics include an overview over the most important groups of organism, community structure, and control of communities through top-down (predator control) and bottom-up mechanisms (available food).

Learning outcome

KNOWLEDGE:

  • Basic limnology and water quality.
  • Overview of major functional groups of organisms in freshwater
  • Effects of land use, climate change and other anthropogenic sources of influence on freshwater ecosystems
  • Effects of abiotic factors on eco-physiology and life history of freshwater organisms
  • Effects of abiotic factors on trophic interactions, with emphasis on competition, predation and parasitism
  • Phenotypic responses to trophic interactions
  • The role of bottom-up vs. top-down regulation in freshwater food webs

SKILLS AQUIRED:

  • Critical evaluation of primary literature
  • Applying key methods for fish and zooplankton surveys
  • Use of the program R for analyses of data
  • Conducting laboratory experiments using aquatic organisms
  • Analysing and reporting data from lab- and field studies of aquatic organisms

GENERAL COMPETENCE:

  • The course gives a special competence linked to environmental problems in freshwater and the regulatory mechanisms for management of freshwater

Learning methods and activities

Lectures: 18 hours

Field course: 3 days

Lab experiments : 10 hours

Seminars: 24 hours

Experimental work: 20 hours

Analyzing and reporting experimental results: 10 hours

Total expected workload: ca. 225 hours

Compulsory assignments

  • Field Report
  • Lab Report

Further on evaluation

Final exam counts for 100% of the total grade of the course. Only students with approved mandatory activities will be allowed to take the exam.

Retake of the final exam for improvement of grade can be done the following semester. In this case, the written exam can be changed to an oral exam.

Mandatory activities from previous semester may be approved by the department.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From To
BI2035 7.0 AUTUMN 2011
More on the course

No

Facts

Version: 1
Credits:  7.5 SP
Study level: Second degree level

Coursework

Term no.: 1
Teaching semester:  AUTUMN 2024

Language of instruction: English

Location: Trondheim

Subject area(s)
  • Biodiversity
  • Biology
  • Zoology
  • Ecology
Contact information
Course coordinator: Lecturer(s):

Department with academic responsibility
Department of Biology

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam

Term Status code Evaluation Weighting Examination aids Date Time Examination system Room *
Autumn ORD School exam 100/100 E 2024-12-10 15:00 INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
SL415 Sluppenvegen 14 12
Spring ORD School exam 100/100 E 2025-06-04 15:00 INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
SL111 brun sone Sluppenvegen 14 1
  • * The location (room) for a written examination is published 3 days before examination date. If more than one room is listed, you will find your room at Studentweb.
Examination

For more information regarding registration for examination and examination procedures, see "Innsida - Exams"

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