Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Teaching language

Norwegian or English

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

Upon completing the course, the students will:

  • understand the ecological interactions characteristic of the benthic ecosystem along the eastern Atlantic coastlines and be able to describe the dominant functional groups of this system.
  • know the characteristics of temperate coastal ecosystems and how these differ from ecosystems of other biographical regions.
  • be able to characterize the main marine enthic habitats, and to discuss current human influence on coastal organisms.

Skills

Upon completing the course, the students will:

  • be able to identify the dominant benthic flora and fauna along the Agder coastline.
  • be able to formulate hypotheses and design studies to investigate questions related to coastal ecology.

General competences

Upon completing the course, the students will:

  • have acquired practical experience related to marine sampling and to relating field data to scientific questions.
  • have gained experience in collaboration through group work,
  • be able to synthesize and visualize their results and to present these in a scientific format.

Contents

The course provides a thorough introduction to temperate coastal marine benthic ecosystems. The course will give more specialized insights into organisms and ecological interactions of the coastaleastern North Atlantic focusing on the Skagerrak/North Sea regions. Students will be introduced to coastal and shelf environments and benthic habitats.

Teaching and learning methods

The course will use a combination of lectures, seminars, field work, laboratory work and group project work. The course will start with lectures and seminars/discussions to introduce students to relevant topics including the field project. 3-5 days will be spent in the field to sample material and data for student projects.
Estimated workload for the average student is 270 hours.

Examination requirements

Field excursions, laboratory work and required presentations are compulsory learning activities.

Examinations

The course assessment is based on a written, 3-hr exam (50%) and a report based on group work (50%). For the group report, the group as a whole is graded. The course is graded by letters (A-F).

Student evaluation

The course runs over 6 weeks and will have an end of course evaluation.

Offered as a free-standing course

Yes. Subject to availability or capacity.
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 8:07:36 AM