Course Syllabus

 

Polar Biology C

 

Semester & Location:	Fall 2025 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Study Tour:	Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Major Disciplines:	Biology, Environmental Science, Sustainability
Prerequisite:	One course in environmental or earth science at university level. One course in biology or ecology at university level is recommended.
Faculty Members:	Trine Warming Perlt
Time	Friday 8:30-11:25 Classroom: F24-303

 

Description of Course

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the biology of the polar regions, with a particular emphasis on the arctic regions of northern Scandinavia, Svalbard, and Greenland. These areas are highly sensitive to climate change, and you will explore how such changes impact their ecosystems. The course will cover the adaptations organisms need to survive in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater environments. You will learn about plant resistance to freezing temperatures, thermoregulation in mammals and birds on land and at sea, the effects of sea ice on marine species, and fluctuations in fish populations.

Additionally, the course will examine ecological processes such as nutrient transfer across ecosystems, population dynamics, and species richness in the arctic regions of northern Scandinavia, Svalbard, and Greenland through various case studies.

You will gain hands-on experience in arctic biology through our field studies, providing you with first-hand insight into the adaptations of polar organisms and how migrating polar species depend on ecosystems in Denmark during their long journeys.

Learning Objectives

The course is roughly divided into the below modules:

1. Introduction to the ecology of polar regions
2. Earth's climate and weather systems with special emphasis on the polar regions
3. Stress, adaptation, and survival in polar regions
4. Terrestrial ecosystems
5. Marine ecosystems
6. Freshwater ecosystems
7. Politics in the polar regions
8. Conservation and natural resource management 
9. Impacts of climate change and pollution in the polar regions

Faculty

Trine Warming Perlt: M.Sc. in Biology, University of Copenhagen. Employed at Dept. of Biology, University of Copenhagen since 2003. Secretary at Polar Science Centre UCPH (2010-2013). Research and teaching interests include arctic ecosystems (in particular freshwater), phytoplankton, and ice algae. Has over the years worked on several large international research projects and monitoring programs concerning climate change in the Arctic (most recently CBMP-freshwater, ARCTIC-BIODIVER, and Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring). With DIS since 2021.

Reading

Text book:

Arctic Ecology. Edited by David N. Thomas. Wiley Blackwell. Ed 2021

Further reading will be available on Canvas

Field Studies

The field studies provide hands-on and experiential learning components of this course. These activities should be viewed as an integrated component of the course and visits will illustrate and expand directly upon the content of the lectures and readings. See the calendar below for field study dates and details.

Study Tours

The two study tours are an integral part of the course as we take the classroom on the road and see how theory presented in the classroom translates to practice in the field.

Short Study Tour: Wadden Sea, Denmark

We will spend 3 days in the Southwestern part of Denmark. This area is one of the most important re-fulling stations for migrating birds to and from the Arctic. We will hike the Danish Wadden Sea, a UNESCO world heritage site and investigate the life in the mudflats and sand bottom. We will also spend a day at the island of Fanø where we will become more familiar with the birds and marine mammals in the area. 

Long Study Tour: Longyearbyen, Svalbard

This study tour to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse students in the unique environment of the High Arctic. As the northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, Longyearbyen provides a living laboratory for studying Arctic ecosystems, climate change impacts, and adaptation to extreme environments. Through hands-on learning and interactions with local scientists, students will gain a deep appreciation for the fragile yet resilient Arctic. 

Svalbard was chosen for its distinct position at the forefront of climate change. With rapidly melting glaciers, thawing permafrost, and unique biodiversity, it offers invaluable insights into the interconnectedness of global systems. This destination allows us to explore these issues firsthand. 

Expectations for study tours

While on tour we expect our students to: 

• Participate in all activities
• Engage in discussions, ask questions, and contribute to achieving the learning objectives
• Respect the destination, the speakers, DIS staff, and your fellow classmates
• Represent yourself, your home university, and DIS in a positive light

While on a program study tour, DIS will provide hostel/hotel accommodation, transportation to/from the destination(s), approx. 2 meals per day, and entrances, guides, and visits relevant to your area of study or the destination. You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure.

Travel policies: You are required to travel with your group to the destination. If you have to deviate from the group travel plans, you need approval from the program director and the study tours office prior to departure. You are free to return to Copenhagen on your own if you choose to do so but must stay with the group through the last visit and inform your study tour leaders of your plans in advance. 

Approach to Teaching

The classes will involve lectures, class discussion, group work, field studies and student projects. Furthermore, there will often be questions presented for you to consider, discuss, and present in small groups.

Expectations to the students

All students are expected to have completed the course readings before class, so we can discuss the material at the right level. There will be reading quizzes for each class so you can make sure you have understood the main principles of the readings. These quizzes will not be graded.  

Students are expected to participate actively in all classes and field studies and be open-minded to your fellow student’s contribution to class. The aim is to establish a safe and open learning environment where we can learn from each other as well as from the texts and cases we engage with, and you are expected to actively support this approach. 

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated on their ability to understand, discuss and communicate scientific concepts within Polar Biology as well as interpret them meaningfully. These skills will be the primary focuse of the evaluations. Group work in class and in the field as well as the student's ability to contribute to a group effort will be taken into account for the grade.

Grading

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work. The overall grade will be calculated from the following:

 

Assignment	Percentage
Participation Active engagement in class is required in order to get a good grade for participation. Examples of active student participation: answer questions in class, ask questions about readings, lectures etc., start and/or participate in class discussions relating to the subjects treated, hand in non-graded assignments on time, actively engage and actively contribute to a constructive and inspiring team work with your fellow students. The following are examples of behavior which may negatively impact your participation grade: unexcused absence, being late for class, sleeping in class, missing submissions for non-graded assignments.	25%
Short Study Tour Assignment         A selection of questions and assignments to be carried out during our short study tour                  week at the Wadden Sea.	5%
Core Course Week Presentations Students will work together in groups to create short presentations summarizing and reflecting on our activities during Core Course Week.	10%
Long study tour : Svalbard Study Tour Assignment Each student will create a reflection journal during the six-day study tour to Svalbard.	10%
Individual Written Assessments (Midterm & Final) These are open-book, timed assessments completed at home. Both tests consists of short essay-style questions accompanied by figures or illustrations for you to interpret.	25%
Semester Project and Presentation The students will work with projects in smaller groups. Students will work with data collected in the field at the Zackenberg field station in Northeast Greenland by researchers from Aarhus University. Different topics and cases will be available with relevant data from the field. Required elements of each project is that students familiarize themselves with the research topic they have worked on and give a thorough analysis and discussion of it. Each group must write an abstract and present either a poster or a slideshow presentation at the end of the course.	25%

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org