Course description for 2024/25
Marine Mammal Biology 2 - Field Course
BIO2023
Course description for 2024/25
Marine Mammal Biology 2 - Field Course
BIO2023
The course will cover topics of field methods on how to study wild marine mammals.
- Introduction to becoming a behavioral biologist and how to plan field work.
- Legal framework for working with marine mammals in the wild.
- Methods of data collection in the field with focus on GPS distribution, Photo-identification, video recording and acoustic recordings.
- Methods of data analysis, such as Photo-ID and Bio-acoustics.
- Vocal communication of matrilineal whales, pilot whales and killer whales.
- Noise in the ocean and effects on marine life, especially marine mammals.
Special emphasis will be given on the biology and life cycles of the 15 locally abundant marine mammal species in the Vestfjord.
Admission limited because of ship availability. Students in the 3rd year Bachelor's in biology and Master in biosciences have priority.
Marine Mammal Biology I
Knowledge
- Be able to identify different locally abundant marine mammal species and give an account of their ecology and main lifecycles.
- Know of research methods and ethical issues in marine mammal field work.
- Have basic knowledge of Photo-identification of whales and vocal research and vocalizations of marine mammals.
Skills
- Be able to plan and conduct field work of marine mammals in the wild.
- Be able to apply scientific knowledge and relevant results from biological research in field investigations.
- Be able to analyze and write up field data and create a scientific report.
General competence
- Have insight into the most relevant ethical and technical issues concerning marine mammal field work.
- Have broad level of understanding of the ecology and behavior of northern marine mammals.
- Be able to synthesize and communicate research in key subject areas both written and verbally.
- Be able to exchange knowledge and viewpoints between team members and the expert community.
Semester registration fee, syllabus literature and costs related to field work/excursion.
Theory and practice, independent course.
- Lectures.
- Boat based day trips.
- Learning the methods of monitoring such as GPS tracking and location, notes, photo-identification of individual animals and underwater sound recordings.
- Data analysis (Photo-ID) and writing a field report.
Evaluations using mid-term and final surveys. Students are also encouraged to participate in the central quality surveys.
Compound assessment (SV): pass/fail.
Compulsory participation (OD): approved / not approved.
Written assignment (OP): pass/fail.
None.