Course code BOT210

BOT210 Bryophytes and Lichens - Floristics and Ecology

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Showing course contents for the educational year 2021 - 2022 .

Course responsible: Siri Lie Olsen
ECTS credits: 5
Faculty: Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management
Teaching language: NO
(NO=norsk, EN=Engelsk)
Limits of class size:
-
Teaching exam periods:
This course starts in Autumn parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Autumn parallel,
Course frequency: Annually
First time: Study year 2003-2004
Preferential right:
-
Course contents:
The lectures cover: Morphology and physiology of lichens, lichens and air pollution, old-growth forest lichens, lichens as indicators of snow depth in the mountains, reindeer and lichens, morphology and physiology of bryophytes, bryophytes as indicators of heavy metal pollution, bryophytes in forest, the ecology of peatmosses, endangered bryophytes and lichens. The lab exercises cover: Rich bark lichens (from ash, elm, maple, aspen, etc, poor bark lichens (from conifers and birch), crust lichens, old-growth forest lichens, soil and stone-dwelling lichens. Identification of material collected by the students for the semester assignment, bryophytes from base rich forests, bryophytes from oligotrophic forests, peat and swamp mosses, review of semester assignments. Assignment (goup with 3-4 students) requires collection and identification of collected material, analyses of data and writing of report.
Learning outcome:

Knowledge:

After ended course, the candidate should have broad knowledge of common and ecologically interesting lichens and mosses, and understand their importance in Norwegian ecosystems.

Skills:

The candidate should know how to identify Norwegian bryophytes and macrolichens using identification keys and floras. The candidate should also be able to use indicator species of bryophytes and lichens for assessing various environmental conditions. The candidate should be able to write a simple scientific report.

General competence:

The candidate should be able to, in written form, communicate research questions and solution related to lichen ecology.

Learning activities:

Lectures (1 hour per week) give theoretical background and prepare the students for practical exercises, plus give feedback on semester assignments. 

Lab exercises (2 hours per week) train the students to identify Norwegian bryophytes and macrolichens by the use of identification keys and floras. 

The student assignment (groups of 3-4 students) gives the students training in how to collect and identify their own material, process and present the data and use the set of data to estimate the air pollution along a gradient from Oslo to the rural Follo.

Teaching support:
Due to the semester assignment, the teacher must be available in his office for some weeks. Important notes will be available on Canvas.
Syllabus:
Literature: Information on Canvas.
Prerequisites:
BOT100.
Recommended prerequisites:
Mandatory activity:
First lecture and active participation in at least 10 of 12 lab classes of 2 hrs duration each.
Assessment:
Portfolio assessment. A species identification test with the use of floras (Acoounts for 40 %). Together with this test, there will be some theoretical questions without access to literature (20 %) The student assignments with report accounts for 40 %. It is not necessary that the student passes all tests in the course in order to pass the entire course. A passing grade is based on the overall quality of the entire evaluated material.  
Nominal workload:
Lectures: 12 hours. Laboratory exercises: 24 hours. Semester assignment: 60 hours. Additional individual study: 30 hours.
Entrance requirements:
Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)
Reduction of credits:
-
Type of course:
Lectures: 12 hours. Exercises: 24 hours.
Note:
The course is especially suitable for the Master"s programmes in natural resource management, forestry, and ecology, but all students with an interest in biology and/or environmental pollution are welcome. 
Examiner:
An external examiner will evaluate the term paper and the floristic exams with additional theoretical questions.
Examination details: Portfolio assessment: Letter grades