Høst 2023

BIO-8020 Arctic Marine System Ecology and Climate Change - 10 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for arktisk og marin biologi

Type of course

The course can be taken as a singular course.

PhD students at Uit register for classes and exam in StudentWeb before 1. September. The registration starts 15th of May.

Other applicants apply for admission through SøknadsWeb before 1. June. Application code 9301. For applicants who are granted a seat, a study right will be created, and these applicants apply for a seat by registering for classes in StudentWeb before 1. September.

The study right gives the applicant admission to register to other open PhD courses or apply for a seat to PhD courses where entry is limited.

Course overlap

BIO-3015 Arctic Marine System Ecology and Climate Change 10 ects

Course contents

The course provides an introduction to marine system ecology and climate change in the Arctic Ocean including its coasts, shelf seas and central basins. The course first describes the physical oceanography of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas,its ice cover, land-ocean interactions and how climate change alters those. The course then introduces biological communities and key organisms, life history strategies, habitats and ecosystems of the marine Arctic. Coupling between biological communities and habitats are discussed with respect to vertical carbon flux, energy flow and in terms of how physical processes determine the conditions for biota and their productivity, today and in the near future. Students will be introduced to a wide range of examples of system ecological response to current and changing climate in the Arctic Ocean, ranging from microbial organisms to marine mammals, and including biogeochemical cycles. In addition, management regimes in the Arctic are briefly touched on. The course is taught by many lecturers who have their research focus in the topic they lecture on.

Admission requirements

Who can apply as a singular course student:

PhD student enrolled at another institution than UiT. PhD students must upload a document from their university stating that there are registered PhD students. This group of applicants does not have to prove English proficiency and are exempt from semester fee.
Holders of a master´s degree of five years or 3+2 years (or equivalent) may be admitted. These applicants 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: Proficiency in English must be documented - list of countries. For more information on accepted English proficiency tests and scores, as well as exemptions from the English proficiency tests, please see the following document: Proficiency in english - PhD level studies

Objective of the course

Knowledge

be able to evaluate the physical environment in the Arctic Ocean with respect to hydrography, currents, and sea ice cover, and discuss the role of physical drivers for the Arctic marine ecosystem.
be familiar with the spatial and seasonal patterns of nutrient concentrations in high latitudes and be able to discuss changes in the nutrient availability in a warming Arctic.
be able to explain the significance of sea ice and debate the implication of sea ice cover changes to the biodiversity and carbon cycling in the Arctic.
be familiar with the basics of the microbial food web and cycling.
have insight into the primary production in high latitudes and be able to explain how climate change may affect primary production.
have developed an understanding of the habitat structure and biological communities in the sea ice, water column and at the seafloor of the Arctic, from microbes to mammals, and be able to evaluate how a warming Arctic impacts both habitat and communities.
be familiar with the term "life history strategy" and be able to discuss this term on the example of the key species Calanus in the Arctic and the Atlantic ecosystem.
understand the concepts of diel vertical migrations (DVM) in the Arctic, and be familiar with factors regulating DVM.
be able to understand and explain the role and regulation of vertical flux and other forms of cryo-pelagic-benthic coupling and evaluate how these processes may be impacted by climate change.
be able to explain the characteristics of mass flows in fjord and coastal Arctic ecosystems, and to elaborate on how external factors (e.g., invasive species, climate change) may change the mass flows.
be able to describe and explain the current fish distribution in the Arctic Ocean and potential future changes with regard to increasing ocean temperature and decreasing sea ice.
have an understanding of the role of marine mammal top-predators in sub-Arctic/Arctic ecosystems and be able to discuss potential changes in a warming Arctic.
be able to explain how energy flow through the Arctic ecosystem can be assessed.

Skills:

have the ability to evaluate and discuss scientific topics related to a variety of processes and dynamics in the Arctic marine environment.
be able to understand and critically reflect on literature about the Arctic ecosystem, as well as present this information orally (or in form for an essay, for PhD students).
be aware of and be able to discuss the current understanding how climate and anthropogenic impact can influence Arctic marine ecosystems.

General competence:

be able to work independently with scientific literature.
have refined the ability of critical thinking, by discussing scientific literature with lecturers and fellow students.
be able to integrate ecosystem knowledge by combining information from single studies of separate compartments and their couplings.
have improved their ability to work with fellow students through various group work activities during the seminars

Language of instruction

English

Teaching methods

Around 12 weeks of teaching. Typically, two to three lectures (2x45 min) and one seminar per week.