Advances in Aquatic Sciences

Course manual 2022/2023

Course content

This is an advanced course that gives an overview of:

• the physical, chemical, and biological processes that are of key importance for the functioning of aquatic ecosystems.
• aquatic ecosystems, aquatic foodwebs and aquatic ecosystem functioning.
• some major threats to aquatic ecosystems and possible (management) solutions to these threats.

A thorough understanding of aquatic ecosystems, how they function, who inhabits them and what threatens them
provides an essential background for further studies in the master Freshwater and Marine Biology.
The course consists of:

• lectures and seminars providing a firm theoretical background
• fieldwork in Dutch lakes in combination with analysis of field samples in the lab and analysis of field data in laptop
  lectures
• examples of different scientific aspects of water management, e.g. determining water and sediment quality, cleaning of drinking water, ecological water management. 

Study materials

Literature

• The book "Freshwater Ecology, Concepts and Environmental Applications of Limnology"

Software

• R and RStudio

Other

• powerpoints of lectures, selfstudy material and scientific papers which will be made available on Canvas

Objectives

• The student is able to describe the major physical, chemical and biological processes in aquatic systems and to explain how these processes interact.
• The student is able to apply physical and chemical principles to solve equations relevant for aquatic systems.
• The student is able to describe the functioning of aquatic ecosystems and some of the organisms that inhabit these ecosystems.
• The student is able to describe the major threats to aquatic ecosystems, how they impact ecosystem structure and functioning and describe possible solutions to these threats.
• The student has developed practical skills to sample and study aquatic ecosystems, for example, sample depth profiles of physical-chemical parameters, sample water for nutrient, chlorophyll and phytoplankton analysis,  perform bioassays with field samples in the laboratory.
• The student is able to analyze physical, chemical and biological data of aquatic ecosystems
• The student is able to interpret how the measured physical, chemical and biological parameters interact.
• The student is able to orally present the sampling, analysis and interpretation of data derived from fieldwork.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Laptop seminar
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Supervision/feedback meeting

Students are asked to prepare  the basic concepts of (almost) each lecture through self-study, so that they understand these concepts before the lecture. The lectures themselves consist of discussion of the study material and a presentation of the latest scientific insights in a particular field, which the students are expected to remember. 

In the seminars students will apply basic knowledge and  evaluate how threats such as climate change and pollution impact biology.

During the fieldwork students will apply knowledge to design a simple experiment, develop practical skills by measuring physical and chemical parameters, taking biological samples in the field, and carry out experiments and process samples in the lab. They are expected to analyze and evaluate the data and create a presentation.

Learning activities

Attendance

Requirements of the programme concerning attendance (OER-B):

1. Attendance during practical components exercises is mandatory.

Additional requirements for this course:

Attendance during lectures is highly recommended.

Attendance during practical components (fieldwork, seminars, labwork, excursions) is mandatory. The course coordinator has to be informed in case a student cannot attend one of the practical components. 

Assessment

The assessment of the course consists of a theoretical component (the exam with a weight of 0.75) and a practical component (with a total weight of 0.25).

• The exam has a weight of 0.75 of the total grade. The study material consists of the powerpoint lectures and selfstudy indicated on Canvas. The minimum grade is a 5.0. This element has a resit.
• The practical component of the course does not have a resit, and is assessed as follows: participation, collaboration and data management in lab and fieldwork (weight = 0.125), oral presentation of the practical work (weight = 0.125). The minimum grade is a 5.0.

Inspection of assessed work

Feedback on Field and labwork and on the presentation will be given through Canvas. When the students get their exam grades they are informed that they can inspect their assessed work, the questions and assignments, as well as the answer models or assessment models upon request.

Assignments

• Equation assignment (practising to apply physical and chemical equations). This is a non-graded assignment. Feedback will be given in a lecture. 
• Hydromodel assignment (results of calculating lake stratification in a Hydromodel).  This is a non-graded group assignment. Feedback will be given in a lecture.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Jolanda Verspagen