NATF230 Wildlife Biology and Management

Credits (ECTS):15

Course responsible:Leif Egil Loe

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Limits of class size:45 students. See "Note".

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:Lectures: ca. 40 hours. Excursion: 20 hours. Discussion groups: 30 hours. Students' self-study - writing of semester paper, preparation for lectures and reading for exam: 285 hours.

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in Autumn parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Autumn parallel, .

About this course

The main goal of the course is to provide an introduction to the most important topics in Norwegian and Nordic wildlife management, as well as the ecology of key species and species groups. The course also includes two semester assignments: the first one gives students training in data analysis and interpretation of ecological data ("the forest grouse assignment"), while the second involves assessments related to practical moose management, structured as a report to the municipality ("the moose assignment"). The course begins as it has for the past 50 years, with field excursions where we survey forest grouse species in two different areas before the hunting season starts (which is on September 10). This survey forms the data basis for the forest grouse assignment. The lecture series starts with an introduction to what wildlife management is, followed by key topics such as the ecology and management of grouse, deer species, and large carnivores. Current issues are also addressed, including updates on chronic wasting disease (CWD) and the quality norm work for wild reindeer. Another relevant example is seabirds, whose populations are declining rapidly, with an increasing number of species being added to the red list each year. The aim of the course is to address the most important management issues at any given time and discuss them in the context of animal biology, with a focus on their ecology.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, the student should have obtained knowledge of subjects within wildlife ecology and management from a text book and lectures.

Skills

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to collect field data for use in wildlife management, modify and present the data. The student should further be able to write a scientific report. One of the student reports includes analyses in the statistical software R, which is used as a tool of analyses in most of the students’ later master thesis in ecology and nature management.

General competence

The student should be able to replicate acquired knowledge within wildlife ecology and management.

  • Learning activities
    The following teaching activities are used: Lectures, data collection in field, two written semester reports, colloquia and own studies
  • Teaching support
    The student is supervised during the two semester reports, and by assistant teacher and main teacher during office hours
  • Prerequisites
    BIO120, ECOL100 eller ECOL200, ZOOL210, STAT100 and NATF100.
  • Assessment method

    Combined assessment:

    A three-hour written exam accounts for 60% of the final grade. The two student reports account for respectively 25% (woodland grouse) and 15% (moose management). All three tasks must be passed to pass the course.



    Term paper Karakterregel: Letter grades Written exam Karakterregel: Letter grades Hjelpemiddel: A1 No calculator, no other aids Term paper Karakterregel: Letter grades
  • Examiner scheme
    An external examiner evaluates the final written exam.
  • Mandatory activity
    The excursions and the first lecture.
  • Notes
    Registration for the course no later than 31 August. After this, the 45 places in the course will be distributed.
  • Teaching hours
    Lectures: ca. 40 hours. Excursion: 20 hours. Discussion groups: 30 hours.
  • Preferential right
    B-ØN and M-NF. Then students with relevant academic background.
  • Admission requirements
    Special requirements in Science