Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Teaching language

Norwegian or English

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course, the students will

  • Understand the ecological interactions characteristic of the pelagic realm of the North Atlantic and be able to describe the dominant organisms of this system
  • be able to discuss how physical and chemical drivers affect the ecosystem over time and space
  • be able to compare pelagic ecosystems of different biogeographic regions
  • have acquired knowledge of the diversity of fish life forms, and how these relate to the spatial and temporal dynamics of fish populations
  • use reasoning to address ecological aspects of fish population dynamics, particularly during early life history stages
  • be able to identify dominant pelagic organisms along the Agder coastline
  • be able to formulate hypotheses and design studies to investigate questions related to pelagic ecology
  • be able to write pertinent research proposals addressing ecological aspects plankton and fish population dynamics in relation to environmental variability
  • have gained essential knowledge to design and perform marine sample surveys on pelagic marine communities to address scientific questions of pelagic ecology
  • have acquired practical skills to collect, store and process marine organisms for downstream analyses

Contents

The course provides a thorough introduction to temperate coastal marine pelagic ecosystems. The course will give more specialized insights into organisms and ecological interactions of the pelagic realm of the North Atlantic focusing on the Skagerrak/North Sea regions. Mechanisms affecting abundance, seasonality and distribution of plankton and nekton in relation to the variability of oceanographic parameters will be discussed. Factors affecting survival, dispersal and distribution of fish during early life history stages will be detailed in relation to environmental variation and human activities.

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

Compulsory learning activities include field excursions and laboratory work.

Examinations

Individual oral exam, counts for 50%

Individual written exam, multiple choice, counts for 50%.

Graded assessment.

Student evaluation

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

The person responsible for the course, in consultation with the student representative, decides the method of evaluation and whether the courses will have a midterm- or end of term evaluation, see also the Quality System, section 4.1. Information about evaluation method for the course will be posted on Canvas.

Offered as a free-standing course

Yes, if there are places available.

Admission Requirement if given as a free-standing course

Same admission requirements as to the master's program Coastal Ecology.

Reduction of Credits

This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:

Course Reduction of Credits
BIO607 – Pelagic Ecology. 10
BIO404 – Fisheries Oceanography. 5
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 8:52:40 AM