Current Topics in Ecology II
Knowledge The student will acquire:
- a firm understanding of current paradigms and practices in ecological theory
- experience and techniques in critical thinking and scientific arguments
- a firm grasp of methods in terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecology, including data analysis
Skills
The student will acquire:
- professional skills in presentation, giving seminars, writing for a public audience, and critical review of the literature
- be able to extract value from scientific publications to frame hypotheses based on research questions
- be able to infer, interpret, and explain ecological results to draw robust conclusions
- be able to incorporate uncertainty in scientific thinking
General competence
The student will:
- be able to debate perspectives and experiences with ecologists and biologists, and contribute to the development of good practice
- use theory to plan and implement scientific research
For Bio9004, each student will spend several days assisting another PhD student or researcher with their fieldwork and/or associated lab work outside of their own study area (e.g., marine vs terrestrial, lab vs field). They will then write a 1-2 page popular article with photographs about it what the fieldwork entails and what it aims to discover. This article would contribute to public outreach and may be in English and/or Norwegian.
Recognising the challenges of fieldwork and weather conditions this experience can be conducted during prior semesters and during the summer while the student is enrolled as a PhD student.
In addition, each student will write a short (ca. 6000 words) critical review of a topic agreed with the course coordinators that would aim to be suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. They will make presentations of the proposed topic and their findings at a day late in the semester. This written paper will count for 80% of the course marks. The practical component will be less than 40 hours while writing the review is likely to take a minimum of 160 hours.
A solid background in basic ecology, including theory, is essential. A working knowledge of R is important.
Good understanding of ecology; basic understanding of statistical analysis and attendant philosophy of statistics.
