The course aims at linking knowledge on marine environment and organisms with applied cases, where such knowledge is required (e.g. climate change, eutrophication, and sustainable use of marine resources). The course will be based on 3-5 themes representing specific applied issues, which will provide the frame for understanding and assessing the potentials, limitations and environmental effects of human activities on marine ecosystem structure and function. The cases will be presented in a scientific context, where an understanding of the underlying basic physiological and ecological processes will provide the foundation for evaluating and predicting environmental effects of human activities on marine systems. Each theme will involve lectures, student presentations and theoretical exercises. Students will work in groups and deliver a written report for each theme.
Application procedure
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Learning outcomes
To provide the students with an understanding of the various environmental implications of human influence and exploitation of the living resources for marine ecosystem structure and functioning, and how such effects are linked to the physical and chemical environment.
The student will achieve the ability to:
- make a plan for exploiting novel marine resources and assess potential challenges in the process.
- evaluate the potential impacts of different types of algal blooms
- provide an overview over the potential effects of climate change on marine ecosystems
- assess and predict environmental effects of aquaculture
Knowledge:
- Identify the main groups of organisms in aquatic ecosystems (viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytes, benthic organisms and fish) and their trophic interactions
- Identify central marine habitats and describe their characteristics
Skills:
- Describe the role of marine microorganisms in local and global biogeochemical cycling.
- Describe the effects of climate change on marine systems, exemplified by selected groups of organisms.
- Determine major anthropogenic influences on aquatic systems in offshore, coastal and estuarine habitats.
Competences:
- Determine the resource requirements (bottom‐up) and trophic interactions (top‐down) for aquatic organisms and discuss this in relation to their cultivation.
- Evaluate the potential for sustainable exploitation of marine resources (e.g. micro‐algae)
- Describe the effects of increased nutrient input to aquatic systems, with particular emphasis on coastal ecosystems.
Files/Documents
ISCED Categories