Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics, 5 hp
Course period:
20-29 August 2014
Course leader / Address for applications:
Per Hall / [email protected]
Last day for application:
29 April 2014
Course description (Advertisment for Ph.D. students):
The contents of the course include:
Large-scale ocean circulation
Marine carbon cycle
Marine nitrogen cycle
Marine phosphorus cycle and interactions with iron and manganese
Marine silica cycle
Role of sediments in the oceanic biogeochemical cycles
Performance of nutrient, oxygen and other sensors
Long-term chemical observations of the ocean
The course will partly be based on the book “Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics” by
Jorge L. Sarmiento and Nicolas Gruber (2006, Princeton University Press, ISBN-13:
978-0-691-01707-5, ISBN-10: 0-691-01707-7.).
Format:
The course is a ten full days intensive course consisting of lectures, literature
assignment, and presentation of own Ph. D. research project. Twelve Ph. D. students
are anticipated.
Place: Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences (http://www.loven.gu.se/) at Kristineberg about 110 km north of Gothenburg. We eat (food served) and stay on the Centre
during the whole course.
Cost: No cost, but students have to cover their own travel, and are expected to buy the
book.
Application: Send your application to participate on the course to
[email protected] (Per Hall). Include with your application personal details, affiliation, food preferences, and a short statement (about half an A4 page) about your
research project and why you think this course is important for you. Any necessary
selection of students will largely be based on this statement.
Responsible department and other participation departments/organisations:
Dept. of Chemistry and Molecular Biology
Teachers:
Per Hall, University of Gothenburg (Course leader and main contact)
Sven Blomqvist, University of Stockholm
Göran Broström, University of Gothenburg
Daniel Conley, University of Lund
Ken Johnson, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, California, USA
Anders Tengberg, University of Gothenburg and Aanderaa Data Instruments
Bo Thamdrup, University of Southern Denmark, Odense
Examiner: Per Hall
Faculty of Science; Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology
Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics, 5 hp
Third cycle education
1. Confirmation
The syllabus was confirmed by the Head of the Department of Chemistry and Molecular
Biology on 2014-01-28.
Disciplinary domain: Science
Department in charge: Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology
Main field of study: Marine Biogeochemistry
2. Position in the educational system
Elective course; Third-cycle education.
3. Entry requirements
Admitted to third cycle education.
4. Course content
Large-scale ocean circulation
Marine carbon cycle
Marine nitrogen cycle
Marine phosphorus cycle and interactions with iron and manganese
Marine silica cycle
Role of sediments in the oceanic biogeochemical cycles
Performance of nutrient, oxygen and other sensors
Long-term chemical observations of the ocean
5. Outcomes
After completion of the course the Ph.D. student is expected to be able to
1. Knowledge and understanding
- Describe the general ocean circulation and how it influences the distribution of dissolved chemical species in the sea
- Describe the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon in the
ocean
- Recognise the role of sediments as a sink for biogenic elements and as a source for solutes
2. Skills and abilities
- Present transports and fluxes of elements between atmosphere - sea water - bottom sediment
- Present the principles for the biological pump and the solubility pump
- Present the most important methods to estimate rates of biogeochemical processes
in the ocean
3. Judgement and approach
- Evaluate factors which limit the production in the sea
- Assess the suitability of different chemical sensors to measure concentration of solutes
in the ocean
6. Required reading
The reading list is supplied separate to the syllabus.
7. Assessment
Presence at lectures, fulfilled oral presentations of literature assignment and research project, as well as active participation in discussions in conjunction with other students’ oral
presentations will be assessed.
Examination consists of fulfilling oral presentations of literature assignment and research
project during the course period.
The literature assignment, and the oral presentation of it, as well as oral presentation of
research project are obligatory tasks for a pass grade.
Attendance during the other students’ oral presentations of literature assignment and research project is obligatory.
A Ph.D. student who has failed a test twice has the right to change examiners, if it is possible. A written application should be sent to the Department.
In cases where a course has been discontinued or major changes have been made a Ph.D.
should be guaranteed at least three examination occasions (including the ordinary examination occasion) during a time of at least one year from the last time the course was given.
8. Grading scale
The grading scale comprises Fail (U), and Pass (G).
9. Course Evaluation
The course evaluation is carried out together with the Ph.D. students at the end of the
course, and is followed by an individual, anonymous survey. The results and possible
changes in the course will be shared with the students who participated in the evaluation
and to those who are beginning the course.
10. Language of instruction
The language of instruction is English.