BB201: Aquatic Microbial and Molecular Ecology (10 ECTS)

STADS: 04005301

Level
PhD course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: ebk@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
dec@biology.sdu.dk
r.p.cox@bmb.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Comment:
Undervisningen foregår over en intensiv periode på 3 uger med start mandag den 3. august 2009. Søndag d. 2 august kan interesserede deltage i indsamling af sedimenter. Kontakt underviseren.

Prerequisites:
The bachelor degree must be passed.

Academic preconditions:
Basic knowledge on ecology and microbiology (for SDU students this include Ecology, BB510, and Fundamental Microbiology, BB509 or BMB507)

Course introduction
To provide a thorough theoretical and practical knowledge on microbiology and biogeochemical cycles in aquatic ecosystems, and to introduce the applicability of molecular biological techniques in ecological studies.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:

• discuss the systematics and evolution of microorganisms
• define the most common concepts used in biogeochemistry and molecular ecology
• hypothesize about the function of microorganisms in biological systems
• discuss the role of microorganisms for biogeochemical cycles
• discuss how the techniques of molecular biology and bioinformatics can be used to investigate the occurrence and activity of microbes in aquatic environments
• employ standard biogeochemical and molecular ecological methods in studies of aquatic sediments
• evaluate and discuss the validity and meaning of results from biogeochemical and molecular biological studies of aquatic sediments

Subject overview

1. Microbial diversity and evolution
2. Interactions among microbial populations, development of communities and adaptation to environment
3. Microbial energetics related to processes like organic matter decomposition as well as oxygen, nitrate and sulfate respiration
4. Biogeochemical cycles in aquatic environments
5. Characterization of microbial communities using molecular biological techniques

Literature

• • Canfield, D., Kristensen, E. and Thamdrup, B: Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Academic Press, 2005.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
Project assignment, Internal evaluation by teacher, Pass/fail

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

Forelæsninger, Antal timer: 26
Eksaminatorietimer/opgaveregning, Antal timer: 25
Laboratorieøvelser, Antal timer: 44
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in English.

Remarks
As it is an international Ph.D. course, the course is planned as an intensive 3-week course in August. Reports will be finalized during first and second quarter.

For more information on the course, please see: http://www.sdu.dk/en/om_sdu/institutter_centre/i_biologi/forskning/forskningsomraader/akvatisk+oekologi/aquaticmicrobialmolecularecology.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.