Learning outcome

After completing the course, the students should have the following qualifications regarding knowledge, skills, and general competence:

* knowledge of important physical, chemical and biological processes in surface water
* knowledge of important environmental problems related to freshwater
* knowledge of how to interpret limnological data and determine ecological status
* knowledge of standard methods for water sampling and water analysis
* Be able to take water samples in lakes and rivers
* Could determine important species of macro vegetation, phytoplankton, zooplankton and bottom fauna that live in fresh water
* Could write a limnological field report

* general competence in freshwater ecology as a basis for management and use of our fresh water resources

Course Description

Freshwater ecology is a multidiciplinary course including the following central topics: aquatic ecosystems in Nordic countries, origin and morphology of lakes and rivers, activities in the catchment area, water and sediment chemistry, interpretation of limnological data, microorganisms and metabolic processes, freshwater plants and animals, pollution sources and health consequences, acidification and liming, heavy metals and organic pollution, eutrofication, restoration, climate change impacts, ecological classification on the basis of the EU Water Framework Directive.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Instruction is given in the form of lectures, seminars and field trips. The main content of the lectures are available to students in electronic form. For each topic there is repeat questions so that students can work on their own with this.
Students will be given a compulsory group assignment with physical / chemical data from various water bodies to be interpreted and evaluated.
The course includes a compulsory day of field sampling in winter and a mandatory field and laboratory week in spring.

Assessment Methods

Grades A - F will be given for three examinations: Group report from field course counts 20%; the group report interpreting limnological data 20% and 5-hour, individual, written final examination which counts 60%. All parts require a pass grade to get a final grade in the course.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean