ForBio field course: Northern Biodiversity Hotspots, Flora of Skibotn, plant collection and identification

This course provides training in identification of Boreal and Arctic groups of flowering plants. It will take place in Skibotn area with remarkably high species number for such northern latitudes (68-69 degrees N) challenging the general concept that species richness decreases as latitude increases. Daily excursions to both lowland and mountain habitats will be combined with practical work in the class to identify the collected materials using the identification keys and learn diagnostic characters of plant taxa.

Practical experience with morphology based species identification is in high demand in both basic and applied biological research. You will study applied plant taxonomy, acquire identification and field collection skills, as well as learn how to prepare and mount the specimens for preservation in museum collections.

This course is accredited by the University of Tromsø as amounting 5 ECTS. Course code Bio-8024. See course description here.

Instructors: Andy Sortland andy.sortland@uit.no, UiT; Anne Tiril Myhre Pedersen tiril.pedersen@artsdatabanken.no, Atrsdatabanken; Galina Gussarova galina.gusarova@uit.no, TMU, UiT/ CEES, UiO

Required previous knowledge/course specific requirements: The course is primarily intended for PhD students and post-docs. However, it is also open for Master students and non-students.

Assessment: Performance during the practical parts of the course and a practical exam, which will be arranged on the last day of the course. The exam will consist of identification of specimens using keys and documenting the distinct morphological characters of the specimens that are used to classify it to taxa at different taxonomic levels.

Registration: Please fill in the online Application here

Find out about how to become a ForBio member here.

Maximum number of participants is 15.

Application deadline is July 1, 2018.

Results announced by e-mail 6 July 2018.

Contact Galina Gusarova (galina.gusarova@uit.no) for more information

Published Apr. 11, 2018 11:31 PM - Last modified June 18, 2018 10:02 AM