Program Overview

Program Overview

The program in question is the "Danish Fauna - Vertebrates (DanFauna)" course, which is part of the Bachelor's program in Biology at the University of Copenhagen.

Program Description

The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the diversity of Danish vertebrate fauna, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. The course focuses on species identification and biology, as well as climate change, invasive species, and habitat destruction/restoration.

Program Objectives

The course objectives include:

• Explaining and putting into perspective the identification and general biology of Danish vertebrate species
• Identifying all Danish vertebrates to species level using various identification keys, digital tools, and field guides
• Understanding the general biology (e.g., habitat selection, life cycle, and food selection) and distribution in Denmark of a selection of freshwater/saltwater fish, all amphibians/reptiles, most mammals, and selected birds
• Understanding the methods used in vertebrate research
• Understanding the overall systematics of vertebrates and the placement of the Danish vertebrates covered in the course

Teaching Methods

The course consists of lectures and practical exercises in identification and species recognition based on fresh material and specimens from the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Mandatory field excursions (bird watching, freshwater fishing, and visits to zoos) are also part of the course.

Assessment

The course is assessed through a written on-site exam, which is a multiple-choice test. The exam is an ITX-exam, and students can find more information about ITX-exams on the study information page.

Course Information

• Language: Danish
• Course number: NBIA06065U
• ECTS: 7.5
• Level: Bachelor
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 4
• Group: B
• Capacity: 80

Responsible Institutions

• The course is offered by the Natural History Museum of Denmark
• The course is part of the Faculty of Science

Course Teachers

The course teachers include Peter Rask Møller, Mark Scherz, Kasper Thorup, and Morten Tange Olsen.

Workload

The estimated workload for the course is:

• Lectures: 24 hours
• Preparation: 116 hours
• Practical exercises: 45 hours
• Excursions: 20 hours
• Exam: 1 hour
• Total: 206 hours

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria for the course are based on the course objectives, which include explaining and putting into perspective the identification and general biology of Danish vertebrate species, identifying all Danish vertebrates to species level, and understanding the general biology and distribution of a selection of vertebrates in Denmark.