Advances in Aquatic Sciences

Course manual 2025/2026

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 ecosystem function and food webs

A thorough understanding of aquatic ecosystems, how they function, and who inhabits 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 a Dutch lake, which is prepared by the students, in combination with analysis of field samples in the lab and analysis of field data in laptop
  lectures

Study materials

Literature

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

Software

• R and RStudio

Other

• powerpoints of lectures, selfstudy materials 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 aquatic foodwebs.
• The student is able to describe how climate change and eutrophication impact ecosystem structure and functioning and describe possible solutions to these threats.
• The student develops 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.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Laptop seminar
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Self-study
• Computer lab session/practical training

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 seminar students will apply basic knowledge and  evaluate how climate change impacts physical and biological processes in lakes.

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 interpret the data and discuss the ecological implications together in class.

Learning activities

Attendance

Additional requirements for this course:

• Attendance during lectures is highly recommended.
• Participation in field- and labwork as well as participation in the Hydromodel seminar is compulsory.
• If students do not attend the Hydromodel seminar, they have to carry out the assignment independently at a later moment.
• In case of field- and labwork as well as data analysis, students are obliged to attend at least 5 out of the 6 days can only be absent with a valid reason, which is clearly communicated with the course coodinator. In case students attend less than 5 days, an alternative assignment has to be carried out.

Assessment

The assessment of the course consists of a theoretical component (the exam with a weight of 1), a compulsory seminar on Hydrodynamic modelling (with a pass/fail) and a compulsory practical component (with a pass/fail).

• The exam has a weight of 1.0 of the total grade. It is a written exam with open questions. 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 components of the course (Seminar on Hydrological modelling and Practical Skills in Aquatic Research) is compulsory and can be passed or failed. To pass this components, students have to be present and actively participate.

Inspection of assessed work

Feedback on Field and labwork and on the presentation will be given in person and 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 in ANS.

Assignments

• Hydromodel assignment (results of calculating lake stratification in a Hydromodel).  This is a non-graded group assignment. Feedback will be given in a lecture. The interpretation of the results and the ecological implications of the results of the work in this assignment are part of the study material for the exam.
• The  Practical Skills in Aquatic Research assignment is a compulsory group assignment that is graded as pass/fail. Feedback is given in person by the fieldwork supervisor, and through Canvas. To pass this components, students have to be present and actively participate.

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

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Jolanda Verspagen