Physical-Biological Relations (NMP1)
Course offered :
- Current semester
- Next semester
Current programmes of study
Course offered by
| Number of credits | 10 |
| Course offered (semester) | Autumn |
| Schedule | Schedule |
| Reading list | Reading list |
Language of Instruction
English
Pre-requirements
Principles of physical oceanography.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
- describe how the physics of the ocean interact with biological and chemical processes to influence plankton productivity and fish recruitment
- describe how plankton can feed back to the ocean physics
- argue that the various marine ecosystems function in very different ways and that the organisms in the ecosystems develop a multitude of adaptive responses depending on the physical and biological setting
- explain the general principles on trophic transfer and how ocean climate interacts
- apply simple models on turbulence to calculate the influence of small-scale turbulence on plankton contact rates.
- apply simple models on buoyancy and mixing to calculate vertical distribution of fish eggs.
- make a laboratory setup on salinity gradient columns to measure the buoyancy in live plankton.
Contact Information
studierettleiar@gfi.uib.no
Course offered (semester)
Autumn
Language of Instruction
English
Aim and Content
The course gives a presentation of how the ocean physics and ocean chemistry influence production and distribution of organisms at trophic levels of marine ecosystems from phytoplankton to fish, and how the physics and chemistry influence the flow of energy through the food web. It will be emphasized that biology, physics and chemistry are integral components in the functioning of marine ecosystems and that the issue of spatial and temporal scales must be included to understand how climate fluctuations influence marine ecosystems. The understanding of the dynamics of the marine ecosystems will be based on first principles which imply that a certain mathematical basic skill is needed for the student. Particularly, the issues of diffusion and turbulence are important for describing distribution and trophic transfer at the levels of plankton.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
- describe how the physics of the ocean interact with biological and chemical processes to influence plankton productivity and fish recruitment
- describe how plankton can feed back to the ocean physics
- argue that the various marine ecosystems function in very different ways and that the organisms in the ecosystems develop a multitude of adaptive responses depending on the physical and biological setting
- explain the general principles on trophic transfer and how ocean climate interacts
- apply simple models on turbulence to calculate the influence of small-scale turbulence on plankton contact rates.
- apply simple models on buoyancy and mixing to calculate vertical distribution of fish eggs.
- make a laboratory setup on salinity gradient columns to measure the buoyancy in live plankton.
Pre-requirements
Principles of physical oceanography.
Assessment methods
Written, 4 hours. If less than 10 candidates, the exam might be oral.
Grading Scale
The grading scale used is A to F. Grade A is the highest passing grade in the grading scale, grade F is a fail.
Contact Information
studierettleiar@gfi.uib.no