autumn 2019 BIO-3003 Fish migration: Theory and technology - 5 ECTS

Application deadline

Concerns only admission to singular courses: Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester. Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Type of course

Master course for biology students - principally aimed at MSc-students specializing in Freshwater Ecology. The course is available as a singular course.

Admission requirements

Local admission , application code 9371 - - Master`s level singular course.
Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS.
The course will be arranged with a munimum number of 7 students. Maximum participants: 20.

Course overlap

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

BIO-8012 Fish migration: Theory and technology 5 stp

Course content

Fishes migrate on different spatial and temporal scales, utilising the best suited habitat during different stages of the life cycle to increase individual fitness. The diadromous migrations of salmonids and eels between spawning and feeding habitats are well known examples. Humans have exploited fishes during their migrations for several thousand years, and many migrating species have a high economic value. During this course, insights will be given in ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of fish migrations, migration patterns, orientation, navigation, anthropogenic impacts, and with examples from a range of fish species in northern marine and freshwater systems. The course will also introduce the students to biotelemetry and other tag and tracking methods, with emphasis on use of radio and acoustic transmitters, manual tracking and use of automatic data logging stations, use of sensors measuring physiological and environmental factors, data storage tags, satellite pop-up archival tags, sampling design, tagging techniques, and ethics and animal welfare issues related to fish tagging.

Objectives of the course

Knowledge

  • Theoretical knowledge in ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of fish migrations, as well as in technologies used to study fish migrations.
  • Insights in orientation and navigation mechanisms in fishes
  • Understanding in how human impacts may influence fish migrations

Skills

  • Able to design a telemetry study
  • Able to choose the best telemetry method that will meet the aim of the study
  • Able to choose the right tagging method for the fish
  • Able to catch and handle fish in the best way

General competence

  • Able to reflect on ethical and animal welfare issues related to telemetry studies
  • Able to present and discuss own telemetry studies carried out in the past or potentially be done in the future
  • Updated on the status of fish migration and telemetry studies in arctic and sub-arctic areas and other systems

Language of instruction and examination

The language of instruction is English and all of the syllabus material is in English. Examination questions will be given in English, but may be answered either in English or a Scandinavian language.

Teaching methods

Lectures, demonstrations and practical exercises. Two week intensive course.

Assessment

Oral exam. A graded scale of five marks from A to E for pass and F for fail.

Re-sit exam: There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.

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  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 5
  • Course code: BIO-3003