Læringsmål

The aim of this course is to give the students an increased knowledge about variation in biological diversity of alpine ecosystems in Scandinavia. Different methods for sampling and measurement of biodiversity data will be presented, and examples of how variation in diversity relate to environmental variables will be given both from Scandinavia and from different parts of the world. Global warming as a result of increased CO2-level in the atmosphere will have major consequences for the alpine ecosystems, and one may expect major changes in the biological diversity both at a local scale and at a

broader scale. The course will present possible effects for both plants and animals as a result of the predicted climatic models.

Innhold

The following topics will be covered:

· Present mountain climate

· Climatic models of global climatic change

· Identification of alpine plants

· Relation between forest limits and climate

· Phenology as an indicator of climatic change

· Vegetation history of alpine areas and previous climate variation

· Ecological changes in alpine areas as a result of climatic change

· Methods in biodiversity research

· Measurement of biodiversity

· Variation in alpine biodiversity in relation to environmental variables

· Gradients in alpine plant diversity

· Examples of changes in biodiversity and distribution patterns as a result recent of climatic change

Organisering

Lectures, excursions, laboratory courses, seminars with student presentations and mandatory reports. The excursions and laboratory courses are mandatory.

30 h lectures, 5 days excursions, 10 h laboratory work.

The students will be charged for some expenses for housing and transport during the excursions.

Vurderingsformer

Group project (report), 25%; individual, written 4-hour final examination 75%

Det tas forbehold om mindre justeringer i planen.