Program Overview

Course Overview

The course BI2034, Community Ecology and Ecosystems, is an intermediate-level course that introduces students to community ecological theory and analysis methods, as well as ecosystem processes and services.

Course Details

• Credits: 7.5
• Level: Intermediate course, level II
• Course Start: Autumn 2025
• Duration: 1 semester
• Language of Instruction: English
• Location: Trondheim
• Examination Arrangement: Assignment and written examination

About the Course

Course Content

The course covers central themes such as patterns in species richness and biodiversity, methods to describe patterns on a community level, ecosystem functions, predation and other interspecific interactions, disturbance effects, succession, and food webs. It provides a background for conservation biology with examples on management in different landscapes and ecosystems. Students work in groups and participate in a field course where they gather data, process it with different mathematical methods during exercises, and write a group report in the format of a scientific paper. Students must choose between a terrestrial field course with a focus on plants or a freshwater aquatic field course with a focus on fish and crustaceans (with a maximum of 12 students on the latter).

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

After completing the course, students should:

• Have knowledge about different drivers for community composition.
• Know the basic theories about mechanisms important to species distribution and abundance.
• Have a general understanding of the links between community composition and ecosystem functions.
• Be able to understand and interpret methods used to describe patterns in occurrence and distribution of species in natural communities.

Skills

The student can:

• Apply different diversity indices.
• Apply relevant statistical methods to understand community ecological patterns.
• Explain central theories and discuss important ecological mechanisms that influence ecosystems and community ecological patterns in nature.

General Competence

The student can:

• To some extent, plan, carry out, analyze, and report a scientific project.

Learning Methods and Activities

• Lectures: 30 hours
• Seminars and Exercises: 40 hours
• Written and Oral Presentation of Group Project and Active Seminar Participation
• 4-days Field Course during the second week of the semester

Mandatory Activities

• Approved presentation of project work
• Seminar and exercise participation
• Approved field course participation

Compulsory Assignments

• Approved field course
• Approved project work

Evaluation

The course consists of two evaluation parts: a written exam (60%) and project work (40%). Both parts are given individual grades, and if both are assessed as passed, the grades will be calculated to one final grade.

In Case of Fail

• Written Exam: Can be retaken in both semesters, even the one without teaching.
• Project Work: An improved version of the project work can be resubmitted.

In Case of Improving Grade

• Written Exam: Can be retaken in both semesters, even the one without teaching.
• Project Work: Must follow the course again and submit a new project work.

Required Previous Knowledge

The course builds on BI1003 or similar basic courses in ecology, and knowledge of plant and animal taxonomy is an advantage.

Credit Reductions

The course has academic overlap with other courses. If overlapping courses are taken, a credit reduction will be applied to the course with the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject Areas

• Biodiversity
• Biology
• Botany
• Zoology
• Ecology

Examination Details

• Examination Arrangement: Assignment and written examination
• Grade: Letter grades
• Ordinary Examination - Autumn 2025:
  • Assignment: Weighting 40/100, Exam system Inspera Assessment
  • School Exam: Weighting 60/100, Examination aids Code D, Date and Time 09:00, Duration 4 hours, Exam system Inspera Assessment
• Ordinary Examination - Spring 2026:
  • Assignment: Weighting 40/100, Exam system Inspera Assessment
  • School Exam: Weighting 60/100, Examination aids Code D, Date and Time 15:00, Duration 4 hours, Exam system Inspera Assessment