Single-Course English 5 ECTS

Oceanography

Overall Course Objectives

The course will provide students with a basic knowledge of the physical/chemical and biological interactions and processes in the ocean, and aid in reflections on the meaning for SDG14, ‘life under water’. From such knowledge and from environmental data and population dynamic parameters (phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish), the students will achieve an understanding of the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems, and how the utilization of living marine resources is managed. By means of simple modeling exercises the student will get a basic understanding on how biological and environmental data are utilized in management contexts. The course includes one full week with mandatory lectures, exercises and a field excursion, followed by two weeks of group project work.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe and understand basic traits and properties of marine ecosystems.
  • Describe simple principles and use quantitative tools for marine resource management.
  • Measure, describe and interpret vertical profiles of biological and physical parameters in a water column.
  • Relate observed physical observations to underlying physical processes.
  • Compute physical, chemical and biological properties of sea water from electronic measurements (CTD, Electronic Paricle Counter).
  • Measure, describe and model the size distribution of organisms in the ocean.
  • Use simple population dynamics models.
  • Describe how abiotic factors affect marine organisms

Course Content

The course will introduce with a description of how and why life in the ocean differs from life on land. We will provide a fundamental description of physical and chemical processes in the ocean, and understanding of how these processes impact marine life. The function of marine ecosystem and the dynamics of marine populations will be discussed in the context of fish stock management. Finally, modern technology to study ocean physics and biology will be demonstrated.

The first day will consist of a mandatory maritime safety course, and day two will be a field trip at sea. The following three days will be lectures and lab exercises, and the remaining nine days are used on project work in small groups.

Teaching Method

Lectures, laboratory exercises and a cruise in Øresund. The students work in groups and the course concludes with a PPT presentation and a poster, which will be presented and evaluated at a poster session.

Remarks

This course provides students with competences relevant to UN SDGs, particularly #14 (Life below water)

Limited number of seats

Minimum: 6, Maximum: 12.

Please be aware that this course has a minimum requirement for the number of participants needed, in order for it to be held. If these requirements are not met, then the course will not be held. Furthermore, there is a limited number of seats available. If there are too many applicants, a pool will be created for the remainder of the qualified applicants, and they will be selected at random. You will be informed 8 days before the start of the course, whether you have been allocated a spot.

See course in the course database.

Registration

Language

English

Duration

3 weeks

Institute

Aqua

Place

DTU Lyngby Campus

Course code 25102
Course type Bachelor
Semester start Week 23
Semester end Week 26
Days Mon-fri 8:00-17:00
Price

7.500,00 kr.

Please note that this course has participants limitation. Read more

Registration