Courses: BIO250 Palaeoecology - Spring 2018
Language of Instruction
English
Teaching semester
Autumn.
The registration deadline for enrollment in the course is Thursday in week 33 for the autumn semester. You will receive confirmation of whether you received a spot in https://fsweb.no/studentweb/login.jsfStudentweb no later than Tuesday the week after the deadline.
The time of the first lecture/orientation meeting can be found in the schedule on the course website or on the https://mitt.uib.no/login/ldapMitt UiB learning platform.
Objectives and Content
Palaeoecology is related to geology and ecology. Different types of "proxy" data are used to reconstruct past environment, climate, and human impact on the landscape. This includes sediment properties together with fossils from plants and animals. Time scales are usually constructed by different dating methods. We will during the course discuss special topics and themes where palaeoecological methods can be used to solve research questions by using the different proxies for reconstructions of environment, climate, and human impact during the time span from the last glacial period to today. Emphasis will be set on development of practical skills and the presentation of data that will be gathered throughout the coures.
Learning Outcomes
- Students should be able to define ´Palaeoecology´
- They should appreciate the breadth and diversity of the subject
- They should know how to carry out a palaeoecological study
- They should know how to identify lake-sediment components and their environmental significance
- They should be able to identify different proxies (i.e pollen, charcoal, plant macrofossils, chironomids) and interpret results from the analysis
- They should be able to synthesise their knowledge to make cross-connections between different proxy data and studies
- They should be able to interpret raw palaeoecological data
- Be able to present their own data in a small research assignment
- They should be able to apply palaeoecological knowledge to present and future environmental situations, including conservation and the climate debate
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Compulsory subjects of bachelor's degree in biology (emphasis on ecology and evolution).
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
Research assignment (including field course, lab work, presentation of results on a poster) and a written take home exam. Approved mandatory activities are valid for 6 semesters.
Forms of Assessment
Portfolio assessment including research assignment (field and lab work) and presentation of results, and a take home final exam.
Grading Scale
The grading scale used is A to F. Grade A is the highest passing grade in the grading scale, grade F is a fail.
Course Evaluation
Students will evaluate the course in accordance with the quality assurance system at UiB and the Department. You can find courseevaluations in the https://quality.app.uib.no/?year 17&faknr&instnr`Quality Assurance Reports.
Contact Information
Contact the Study Section at the Department of Biological Sciences: studie@bio.uib.no