Universität Wien

300295 UE Field course "Biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems" (2025S)

advanced level (Botany / Zoology)

10.00 ECTS (6.00 SWS), SPL 30 - Biologie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 12 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

mandatory preliminary talk Monday 03.03.2025 10:30 - 11:00 Seminar room 1.5, UBB
field course from 6.7.2025 17 Uhr to 18.7. early afternoon 2025 in the lake laboratory, water cluster Lunz

  • Monday 03.03. 10:30 - 11:00 Seminarraum 1.5, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.012, Ebene 1 (Kickoff Class)

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The field course will be conducted in the lake lab directly located at the shore of Lanke Lunzer See - a beautiful environment in the Alpine Foreland. During the field course, we will visit various habitats of oligotrophic and dystrophic pre-alpine lakes, ponds, springs and pit mosses to running waters. Selected environmental variables will be measured and samples will be taken from the sites. We will focus on identification of chacteristic species collected from the habitats. We will provide insights into their ecological preferences and life styles. Species occurrences will be linked to field data (e.g. underwater light data, limnochemical and hydraulic data), interpreted and discussed.

Assessment and permitted materials

group presentations, student activity, lab protocol, final written exam

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

- group presentations (30 %)- Student activity (30 %)- lab protocol (10 %)- exam (30 %). All partial performances must be positive to finish the course. Passed with more than 60% positive overall performance. In total 100 points, 91-100 = 1, 81-90 = 2, 71-80 = 3, 60-70 = 4, <60 = 5.

Info for group presentations and written exam: students will be divided into small groups, each group responsible for one topic (e.g., pelagial, litoral,...); presentations will be held during the field course. Date and time of the written exam will be decided during the course (depends on students preferences and our availability).

Examination topics

Introductory lectures, guided field work (equipment training, data collection) of aquatic habitat types, guided data analyses in the lab. The participants are aware of the most important ecological principles acting in aquatic habitats. Students are able to sample aquatic biota and to acquire physical and chemical field data. Students are trained in using relevant identification keys for aquatic biota and are able to use their bioindication potential. They are also able to compose protocols of their teamwork results.

Reading list

Introductory lectures provided as pdfs on moodle and short introductions in the field give insight into geology, landscape ecology, abiotic and biotic interactions, measuring and sampling techniques as well as identification of algae, macrophytes, aquatic invertebrates and fish, using identification tables specifically composed for this course.

Association in the course directory

MZO W4, MEC-6, MBO 7, MNB3, MNB6, MZO4, MEC-9

Last modified: Tu 06.05.2025 08:06