Arctic Biology

The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of:

• Environmental growth conditions in the Arctic and how it affects living organisms and the consortia they form
• Adaptations of animals, plants and microorganisms toin the environment
• Biodiversity at all trophic levels
• Biological interactions I aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in time and space in the Arctic
• Climate changes implications

Knowledge:

• Describe the special conditions for plants, animals and microorganisms in the marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments in the Arctic such as the physical and chemical conditions, low temperatures, occurrence of ice and snow as well as nutrient and light availability.
• Describe the dynamics and the production of terrestrial and aquatic Arctic ecosystems.
• Identify the morphological, physiological and reproductive adaptations of animals and plants in relation to the arctic conditions, especially adaptations to low temperatures, short growing period and extreme events.

Skills:

• Analyse the diversity of Arctic organisms at the community, individual and genetic level in relation to the Arctic conditions.
• Compare the vulnerability of arctic species to environmental conditions
• Analyse the interactions between different organisms and the life history strategies in arctic animal and plant species.
• Explain the main features of arctic species immigration after the last glaciations.
• Evaluate the effects of climate change on arctic ecosystems and possible feed back mechanisms to the climate.

Competences:

• Critically read, present and discuss scientific articles about arctic conditions
• Design and carry out an experimental project
• Mediate a specific, complex subject in a short, written form to a scientific audience (an essay)
• assess anthropogenic impacts on Arctic ecosystems in a sustainability perspective including identifying implications of climate changes in relation to habitat loss, detoriation of food webs egradation and decline in biodiversity