BIOS9112 – Life-history strategies and climate effects
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course provides a thorough introduction to methods and concepts from life history theory, demography and quantitative genetics, and a range of applications of these methods including the study of how organisms respond to climate change.
A life history describes the main fitness-related events individual organisms go through from birth to death, including development, growth, maturation, and reproduction. Life history theory addresses fundamental questions in ecology and evolution, as well as important applied problems in conservation and management.
Learning outcome
After completing the course, students should
- Understand the concepts of life history and life history strategies, and their link to fitness and population dynamics.
- Know how the main life history parameters and selection gradients can be calculated for a given organism using life tables and matrix models.
- Be able to describe central evolutionary theories used to explain variation in life history strategies within and among species.
- Be able to apply concepts from quantitative genetics to explain the evolution of life history traits in a changing environment.
- Understand the role of phenotypic plasticity when a population adapts to changing environments.
- Have acquired skills in written and oral presentation of results, and in giving feedback to others.
Admission to the course
PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb.
If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.
PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.
The courses BIOS5112 and BIOS9112 have joint admission. Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:
1. PhD students and master students at the MN faculty who have the course as part of the approved curriculum.
2. Other PhD students and visiting PhD students.
3. Students with admission to single courses on master’s level and exchange students.
Applicants are ranked by credits in each group; all applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc. If admission is limited to a fixed number of participants, admission will be decided by drawing lots for students who are ranked equally.
Recommended previous knowledge
Bachelor degree in biology or similar. Good basic knowledge in ecology and evolution. Some basic knowledge of programming in R is an advantage for the exercises.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with BIO4140 – Life-history Strategies and Climate Effects (continued).
- 10 credits overlap with BIO9140 – Life-history strategies and climate effects (continued).
- 10 credits overlap with BIOS5112 – Life-history strategies and climate effects.
Teaching
The course consists of lectures, computer exercises with a written report, and a group presentation. Students will give feedbacks to each other in guided peer review. The curriculum includes a text book and a compendium.
PhD students will also present and lead a discussion around a central topic.
The report, peer review comments and presentations must be approved to take the final exam.
First lecture is mandatory. If you cannot attend the first lecture, please send a note to studieinfo@ibv.uio.no, before the first lecture.
Examination
Oral exam which counts 100 % towards the final grade.
Mandatory course work (report, peer review comments, and presentations) must be approved before the student can attend the exam. Approved mandatory course work is valid for 3 years.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: BIO4140 – Life-history Strategies and Climate Effects (continued), BIO9140 – Life-history strategies and climate effects (continued) and BIO5112.
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
Oral examination in Norwegian or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.