Current active subject description (last updated 2024/25)
Biology of marine mammals
BIO2013
Current active subject description (last updated 2024/25)
Biology of marine mammals
BIO2013
The course will cover topics of the biology of marine mammals including
- Diversity and Zoogeography / Evolution of Marine Mammals
- Anatomy and Physiology: the Challenge of Aquatic Living
- Neural Morphology / Sensory systems
- Vocal Anatomy, Acoustic Communication and Echolocation
- Population genetics of marine mammals
- Patterns of Movement / Feeding Ecology
- Life history and reproductive strategies
- Ecology of Group Living and Social Behaviour
- Social intelligence, Culture in Animals Vocal communication of matrilineal whales, pilot and killer whales
- Management & Conservation
Special emphasis will be on the biology and life cycles of the 14 locally abundant marine mammal species.
Admission to the course follows the admission requirement in the bachelor program in biology.
Bachelor students in Biology and master students writing a thesis on Marine Mammals will be prioritized
Knowledge
- Gain broad knowledge of the biology of marine mammals
- Be able to identify different locally abundant marine mammal species and give an account of the main lifecycles of each species
- Know of research methods and issues in marine mammal biology
- Have knowledge of central research in marine mammal biology
Skills
- Be able to present own topics
- Be able to apply scientific knowledge and relevant results from biological research in field investigations
- Be able to update knowledge in the field of marine mammal biology
- Be able to write up field data and create a scientific report
General competence
- Have insight into the most relevant ethical issues concerning marine mammals
- Have broad level of ecological insight into northern marine mammals species
- Be able to communicate key subjects such as theories, issues, and solutions both in writing and verbally
- Be able to exchange knowledge and viewpoints within team members and the expert community
Semester registration fee, syllabus literature and costs related to field work/ excursion maximum NOK 3,000.
Elective: BSc in Biology
Lectures, seminar with the student’s own project presented in an oral presentation, boat based field work learning the methods of monitoring; such as GPS tracking and location, notes, photo-identification of individual animals and underwater sound recordings
The study programme is evaluated annually by students by way of course evaluation studies (mid-term evaluation and final evaluation). These evaluations are included in the universitys quality assurance system.
Compound evaluation, grading scale Letter grades
- Oral exam - 60% A-F
- Assignment - 40% A-F
- Compulsory participate - 0% - Approved / not approved
- Assessment task - Presentation - 0% - Approved /not approved