Course Syllabus

Polar Biology

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polarbio

Semester & Location:

 Spring 2020 - DIS Copenhagen

Type & Credits:

Core Course - 3 credits

Study Tour: 

Tromsø, Norway

Major Disciplines:

Biology, Environmental Science, Sustainability 

Faculty Members:

Sarah Hagel Svendsen - sarah.svendsen@dis.dk

 
Program Director:

Neringa B. Vendelbo - nb@dis.dk

Program Assistant:

Julia Magnuson - jma@dis.dk

Time & Place:

 | Thursdays 14.50-17.45, V10-A12

 

ACADEMIC ORIENTATION: Wednesday, January 15 10.00-12.00

Description of Course

In this course we will provide you with an understanding and introduction to the biology of the Polar regions with a specific focus on the Arctic regions in northern Scandinavia and specifically northern Norway and Greenland. These Arctic regions are sensitive to climate variations and you will learn how such changes are affecting its polar ecosystem. We will focus on the adaptations organisms require to thrive in marine, terrestrial and/or freshwater ecosystems. You will learn about how plants withstand freezing temperatures, thermoregulation in mammals and birds on land and at sea and the effect of sea ice on marine species.  

In particular, the course will look at the ecological processes of nutrient transfer across ecosystems, population dynamics and species richness of the Arctic regions in northern Scandinavia and Greenland through case studies. 

You will get your own experience with the Arctic biology through a field study to Tromsø, Norway and you will obtain first-hand experience on how migrating polar species rely on ecosystems in Denmark when they embark on their long journeys. 

 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course you will have an overview of the different habitats in the Polar regions, marine and terrestrial food webs, as well as, how species groups within fish, plants, birds and mammals have adapted to these cold areas. 

Moreover,  you will be able to communicate and understand theories and analyses of Arctic ecology within population dynamics, species interactions and evolutionary adaptations as well as the human impact on the Polar ecosystems.

You will also learn how the different habitats are affected by climate change and human exploitation. Some focus will be on research in Denmark and Greenland as well as in parts of Norway. A number of prominent researchers will also be joining us throughout the course to provide insight into their fields of study.

The course is roughly divided into the below modules:

  1. Intro to polar biology and terrestrial ecological concepts
  2. Adaptations to life in the polar regions
  3. Climate feedback loops and evolution in the polar regions
  4. Biotic interactions in the Arctic
  5. Community based monitoring and marine ecology
  6. Weather systems and wildlife management in the polar regions
  7. Freshwater ecology

 

Faculty

Sarah Hagel Svendsen: Ph.D. (Terrestrial Ecology and Arctic Climate Change, University of Copenhagen, 2017). M.Sc. (Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2010). Arctic ecology research in Northeast Greenland and Western Greenland 2008-2018. Worked with communication and teaching since 2007. With DIS since 2019.

 

Readings

The textbook and readings will be provided by DIS. Please pick up the book during the arrivals workshop.

Textbook

Tundra-Taiga Biology. Robert M. M. Crawford. Published by Oxford University Press. 2013

Other required texts

The Ecology of Greenland.Erik W. Born and Jens Böcher. Published by Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Ilinniusiorfik, Nuuk 2001.

The Biology of Polar Regions. D.N. Thomas, G.E. Fogg, P. Convey, C.H. Fritsen, J.-M. Gili, R. Gradinger, J. Laybourn-Parry, K. Reid, and D.W.H. Walton. Second Edition.  Published to Oxford Scholarship 2008.

CliC/AMAP/IASC, 2016. The Arctic Freshwater System in a Changing Climate. WCRP Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) Project, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).

INTERACT 2015. INTERACT Stories of Arctic Science. Eds.: Callaghan, T.V. and Savela, H. DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy, Aarhus University, Denmark, 180 p.

Other readings will be made available online

 

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 lecture 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.

Dates: Wed, January 22nd 08.30-12.30 and Wed, March 25th 13.00-17.00


Study Tour to Tromsø, Norway

The study tour to Tromsø is 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. In Tromsø, we will focus on ongoing research where both terrestrial and marine Arctic research is well established. We will go hiking to explore the unique flora and fauna of the terrestrial and marine ecosystems on both land and seaside. You will experience the local culture and history of Tromsø. 

Long Study tour to Tromsø: Sunday, March 15th-20th

 

Expectations for study tours

  • 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.

The lectures will be taught in the order written in the syllabus, unless you are told differently. The order of the lectures is to ensure that you know all of the basic concepts before we go on study tour and field trips that relate to your final projects.

 

Expectations of the Students

All students are expected to have completed the course readings before class, so we can discuss the material at the right level. It is important to be well prepared for class because I may randomly select students to give key points on the readings for that day.

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 an 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 focuses in 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 come from the following:

 

Assignment

Percent

Participation

Students are expected to participate in all classes and field studies. Furthermore, active participation in class is required in order to get a good grade for participation. Examples of active student participation: volunteer to sum up key points from last class (2-3 min), ask questions about readings, lectures etc., start and/or participate in class discussions relating to the subjects treated.

20%

 Tests on general Polar Biology topics 

Both tests will be covering general terms and definitions of Polar Biology based on readings, lectures, study tour and field studies.

 2 x 20%

Tromsø Study Tour Assignment

A selection of questions and assignments to be carried out during the five-day study tour to Tromsø. The assignment is designed to contextualize experiences in Tromsø with the course material in general and the student projects in particular.

10%

Student Project and Presentation

Student projects will be carried out individually and oral poster presentations will be in groups covering several topics of Arctic biology. The final product will consist of two elements: An individually produced paper (20%) and a group produced poster (10%) to be orally presented. 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.

20% + 10%

 

 

Academic Regulations

Use of Phones and Laptops in class is not allowed unless it is for notes and specified research in class.

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

 

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

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due