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Åbo Akademi University 2014/2015
ÅBO CAMPUS
Thermal adaptation
5 credits
Advanced level
Lectures and seminars
Offered: Spring 2015
Lecturer: Ane T. Laugen
Contents: The purpose of the course is to investigate how
phenotypic evolution is related to environmental variation,
with a particular focus on thermal adaptation. Upon success-
ful completion of this course, the student should be able to
i) provide an overview over evolutionary thermal biology, ii)
describe how temperature affects phenotypes and distribu-
tion of organisms, iii) describe the strengths and weaknesses
of theoretical models in evolutionary thermal biology, and iv)
understand and describe the challenges individuals, popula-
tions and communities have in the face of global warming.
Thermal adaptation is an advanced-level course for students
with a strongbackground inbiology (4thor 5th year students),
but will also be open for PhD students, interested postdocs
and researchers.
Text book: Angilletta (2009): Thermal adaptation: A theoretical
and empirical synthesis. Oxford University Press
Conservation biology
223072.0
5 credits
Advanced level
Lectured course
Offered: Spring 2015
Lecturer: Markus Öst
Contents: The course provides an up-to-date perspective on
many high-profile issues in the field of conservation biology,
including the following themes:
. Defining conservation biology and biodiversity
. The value of and threats to biodiversity
. Conserving biological communities, populations & species
. Behaviour and conservation
. Extinctions and critical transitions in nature
. The challenges of sustainable development
. Ecosystem services as a rationale for conservation
Hand-picked case studies illustrate pressing conservation
problems and the controversies in the field, in order to stimu-
late thought and discussion. The links between conservation
biology and environmental law, environmental economics,
philosophy, social sciences and anthropology, park manage-
ment, and government policy will be highlighted. The course
consists of lectures/practicals and student essays based on
topics provided by teachers.The course is suitable for BSc and
master's students in biology and related fields.
Baltic Sea plankton
222031.0
5 credits
Intermediate level
Field course
Offered: Spring 2015
Lecturer: Jonna Engström-Öst
The aim of the course is 1) to learn to recognise common
plankton species andmethodology associatedwith plankton
work, 2) to do experiments and report results, and 3) to give
seminar.
Content: a few introductory lectures to the subject (day 1-2),
and then the students will prepare seminars (days 3-5) onma-
terial provided during the course. During the field course the
students will sample andmeasure in the field, work in the lab,
as well as prepare and performa few short-termexperiments,
and present and analyse the data on the last course day.
A Sustainable Baltic Region
200004.0
5 credits
Basic/Intermediate level
Lectured course
Offered: Spring 2015, to be confirmed
Lecturer(s): NN
Contact: Sinikka Suomalainen
Aim(s) and contents: How to develop a sustainable Baltic re-
gion. Energy, material flows, sustainable agriculture, forestry
and marine resources, sustainable industrial production and
technology, transports, habitation, sustainable economy,
ethics and law for sustainability.
Learning outcomes: The student will be able to explain and
discuss sustainability issues in different sectors in the Baltic
Sea Region.
Target audience: Students from all faculties interested in
sustainable development and environmental issues.
Mode of studies: Lectures, group discussions, probably vide-
oconferences in cooperation with students at universities in
the Baltic region and literature studies. The course language
is English.
Formof assessment: Active participation, presentations, writ-
ten examination.
Format: (33 h) Studies in a group , lectures
Course literature: A Sustainable Baltic Region, booklets 1-10.
The Baltic University Programme, Uppsala university. Uppsala,
1997 and/or new electronically coursematerial in production
by the The Baltic University Programme.
Registrations: to the Open University at
/
anmalningsdb/, by e-mail:
This course is an undergraduate course in the Baltic University
Programme.
