ENVS1137 Light in aquatic ecosystems - web course (2 cr)
Study level:
Advanced studies
Grading scale:
0-5
Language:
English
Responsible organisation:
Department of Biological and Environmental Science
Curriculum periods:
2024-2025, 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028
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Light in aquatic ecosystems - web course
Description
- The themes of course are solar radiation, absorption, scattering, apparent optical properties, and remote sensing. The course also provides examples of fluorescence and applied aspects of aquatic optics.
- Each theme consists of (i) the theoretical knowledge as a chapter or two from a textbook (Kirk 2011), (ii) video lectures that explain the applicability of theoretical knowledge as calculations of examples, (iii) calculation exercises, which should be possible to solve based on (i) and (ii) mentioned above.
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, the student should be able to...
- understand the principles and concepts of aquatic optics, more specifically
- the radiative transfer of solar radiation to surface waters
- the absorption of solar radiation, and the major absorbing components in the open and the coastal ocean as well as in fresh waters
- the scattering of light by water and particles, the direction of scattering
- apparent optical properties such as attenuation of light in water column
- remote sensing of surface waters
- some applications of aquatic optics e.g., photochemical reactions in surface waters
- calculate and treat data from common optical measurements
Description of prerequisites
No, but background knowledge about aquatic systems, spectroscopic methods, phytoplankton, and remote sensing will be beneficial.
Recommended prerequisites
Study materials
Kirk, John T. O. 2011. Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems. 3rd Edition.
Material provided in the Moodle platform includes Excel files, video lectures, and calculation exercises.
Literature
- Kirk, John T. O. 2011. Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems. 3rd Edition.
Completion methods
Method 1
Description:
This is a web course. The students are expected to read the compulsory teaching material (primarily chapters from a textbook) provided in the Moodle and familiarize themselves into examples explained in video lectures. For each theme, a student is requested to complete the given exercises. Most of exercises are calculation exercises. In the end, there is an exam. The exam consists of an essay and calculation exercises.
Evaluation criteria:
The learning diaries from all themes need to be accepted. The exercises are evaluated at the scale 0—5 points. During the course, a teacher evaluates the learning diaries and exercises approximately every second week. The exam is evaluated at the scale of 0—5 points. The final score of course is calculated from the average of points earned from exercises and exam: <2.5 points = 0 (fail), 2.5—3 points = 1; 3—3.5 points = 2; 3.5—4 points = 3; 4—4.5 points = 4; and 4.5—5 points = 5.
Time of teaching:
Period 3, Period 4, Period 2, Period 1
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Parts of the completion methods
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Light in aquatic ecosystems - web course (2 cr)
Type:
Independent study
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
The learning diaries from all themes need to be accepted. The exercises are evaluated at the scale 0—5 points. During the course, a teacher evaluates the learning diaries and exercises approximately every second week. The exam is evaluated at the scale of 0—5 points. The final score of course is calculated from the average of points earned from exercises and exam: <2.5 points = 0 (fail), 2.5—3 points = 1; 3—3.5 points = 2; 3.5—4 points = 3; 4—4.5 points = 4; and 4.5—5 points = 5.
Language:
English
Study methods:
- This is a web course. The students are expected to read the compulsory teaching material (primarily chapters from a textbook) provided in the Moodle and familiarize themselves into examples explained in video lectures.
- For each theme, a student is requested to write a learning diary and return it to the Moodle page of course. Teachers will evaluate the learning diaries as a pass/fail basis.
- For each theme, a student is requested to complete the given exercises. Most of exercises are calculation exercises.
- In the end, there is an exam. The exam consists of an essay and calculation exercises.
Study materials:
Kirk, John T. O. 2011. Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems. 3rd Edition.
Material provided in the Moodle platform includes Excel files, videolectures, and calculation exercises.
Literature:
- Kirk, John T. O. 2011. Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems. 3rd Edition.