Application deadline

Application deadline 1. september.

For PhD students at UiT register for the course through StudentWeb.

For other applicants apply for admission through SøknadsWeb. Application code 9306.

Contact Ingjerd Gauslaa Nilsen (ingjerd.nilsen@uit.no) at BFE Faculty, UiT, if you have troubles or questions regarding registration to the course.

Type of course

Admission requirements

Pre requisite for acceptance in the course: Good basis in ecological concepts and proficiency in English.

Holders of a Master´s degree must upload a Master´s Diploma with Diploma Supplement / English translation of the diploma. Applicants from listed countries must document proficiency in English. To find out if this applies to you see the following list
For more information on accepted English proficiency tests and scores, as well as exemptions from the English proficiency tests, please see the following document

The number of participants is limited to 20.

Contact Ingjerd Gauslaa Nilsen (Ingjerd.nilsen@uit.no) at the BFE-faculty if you have troubles or questions regarding registration to the course.

Course content

• Ecosystem modelling and models used around the world for ecosystem-based fisheries management;
• Ecopath with Ecosim: some historical and contextual perspectives;
• Main theories in ecosystem functioning;
• Ecopath;
  • Use of the EwE software to build an Ecopath model;
  • Data requirements;
  • Balancing the model;
  • Examples of ecological questions addressed with Ecopath
• Ecosim;
  • Ecosim basics;
  • How to fit Ecosim to time series;
  • Modelling the effect of environmental changes;
  • Evaluating ecosystem effects of fishing;
  • Exploring management policy options;
  • Evaluating the relative impact of climate and fisheries;
  • Examples of ecological questions addressed with Ecosim
• Ecospace;
  • Spatial aspects of ecosystem modelling
  • Ecospace theory and basics;
  • Data requirements to address ecological problems in a spatial dimension;
  • Analysing the impact and placement of marine protected areas

Objectives of the course

General: This course is built to provide a solid basis to the trophic modelling software, Ecopath with Ecosim, and its basic quantitative tools for ecosystem based fisheries management.

Knowledge: The candidate will have an overview of

• The ecological theory behind ecosystem modeling with Ecopath
• The ecological questions that can be addressed using the EwE software
• Past studies that have used the Ecopath framework and which ecosystems
• The Ecopath community and how this resource can be used
  

Skills: The candidate will acquire basis knowledge on how to

• Search and acquire data required as input for the model
• Estimate parameters where no previous knowledge exists
• Balance a simple Ecopath model
• Fit Ecosim to time series and produce simulations
• Use the model to explore management options
• Use Ecospace

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Date for teaching: 1 week early December. A combination of PC lab and theoretical lectures. Reading materials and exercises will be given the week before for students to prepare for the course.

The time will be split between lectures and tutorials, with a focus on hands-on development of simple models from scratch, using the software. This course will give the participants an understanding of the theory behind the software and the confidence to construct and interpret basic ecosystem models. The course can be taken as a "stand-alone course".

Assessment

Home exam using the ECOPATH with ECOSIM software; the 10 pages essay should be turned in end of January 2018; students can work in pairs.

Grading: pass/fail.

Recommended reading/syllabus