Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree including alternative 1) 40 credit points/60 credits biology and 20 credit points/30 credits chemistry or 20 credit points/30 credits earth sciences; alternative 2) 60 credit points/90 credits biology. In both cases, the biology should contain Ecology MN1 or Limnology MN1.

Learning outcomes

The course should lead to an independent and critical attitude for future job or research with sustainable development.

After the course, the student should be able to

• explain overall structure and function at aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and interactions between them , from a catchment area perspective
• understand the use of catchment areas as a basis for nature conservation environmental protection, and other planning purposes
• describe and apply EUs Water Directive and generally know how water issues are handled also outside Europe
• identify catchment areas from topographic maps and use planimeter for area estimates
• handle GPS and use the geographic ArcGIS
• independently plan and carry out sampling and analysis for monitoring of water quality in a catchment area
• carry out and evaluate transport calculations for different compounds in a water course
• distinguish between natural and anthropogenically influenced systems
• explain and distinguish between different forms of anthropogenic influence on aquatic systems
• compile and analyse data and evaluate natural resource -and impacts on lakes and running waters
• communicate theories, complex problems and research findings with specialists and non-specialists

Content

The course builds upon on the students' knowledge and experiences from earlier courses in ecology or limnology. Lectures, laboratory sessions, field trips, seminars and group exercises/project work with the following modules.

Applied ecosystem ecology 9 credits

The module deals with catchment areas from an integrated ecosystem perspective, and the following part is included:

• The hydrological cycle and water as carrier of different compounds.
• Definition and identification of catchment areas from maps and in field.
• Flow analyses of different substances in catchment areas.
• The function of catchment areas based ecosystems, interactions between terrestrial and aquatic subsystems.
• Human influenced versus natural system. Effects of different land use on hydrological, chemical and biological processes in soil and water.
• Injuries on lakes and running water in form of physical impacts (ditching, lake lowering, canalisation), contaminants (eutrophication, acidification, toxic compounds), introduction of foreign species and exploitation of species populations.
• Case study for assessing Natura 2000 objects.
• Integrated communication training with feedback and self-assessment of oral and written reports and group assignment are included.

GIS 5 credits

Practicals with ArcGIS, largely integrated in other course parts. An individual GIS-project is also included.

Literature seminar 1 credit

Water management from Swedish, European and international perspective.

Instruction

Lectures, laboratory and field practicals, seminars and group exercises. Participation in group exercises, seminars, laboratory sessions and field practicals are compulsory.

Assessment

Participation in group exercises, seminars, laboratory sessions and field sections are compulsory.

Examination of the Applied Ecosystem Ecology module, 9 credits, is through several tasks, individual and in groups, which be presented in written reports at oral presentations and/or in seminars during the course.

Examination of GIS.5 credits, is through assignments and an individual task where students produce and presented an assignment where a GIS map is included.

Examination of literature seminar, 1 credit, is by assessing student's active participation in discussions.