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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 course starts with excursions where we census the population of woodland grouse species in two different areas. This provides the data for one of two student reports. The second student report is on the topic of practical moose management at the municipal level. The lectures start with an introduction in some basic topics within biology such as evolution and genetics, animal behaviour and population dynamics, before continuing with the ecology, population status and distribution of key wildlife species in Norway. The lectures commence with a selection of management topics, such as management of the invasive wild boar, harvested deer species and the controversial management of our four large predators. We do also cover topics such as wildlife diseases, effects of human infrastructure and disturbance and how to combine forestry and wildlife management.

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.

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

  • 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.



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