Christopher Thomas Robinson: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2018

Name PD Dr. Christopher Thomas Robinson
FieldAquatische Ökologie
Address
EAWAG
Überlandstrasse 133
8600 Dübendorf
SWITZERLAND
Telephone044 823 53 17
Fax044 823 53 15
E-mailchristopherthomas.robinson@usys.ethz.ch
DepartmentEnvironmental Systems Science
RelationshipPrivatdozent

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
701-1437-00LLimnoecology I3 credits3VP. Spaak, F. Altermatt, K. J. Räsänen, C. T. Robinson
AbstractThis course combines Limnology (the study of inland waters in its broad sense) with ecological and evolutionary concepts. It deals with rivers, groundwater and lakes.
ObjectiveDuring this course you will get an overview of the world's typical freshwater ecosystems. After this course you will be able to understand how aquatic organisms have adapted to their habitat and how the interactions (e.g. food web) between organisms work.
In short: apply the theoretical / lecture knowledge to field situations in a lake and river.
ContentThe lectures cover ecology and evolution of aquatic organisms in lentic and lotic waters. Topics include: Adaptations, distribution patterns, biotic interactions, and conceptual paradigms in freshwater ecosystems. Important aspects regarding ecosystem metabolism and habitat properties of freshwaters. Applied case studies and experiments testing ecological and evolutionary processes in freshwaters.
The lectures are given by Piet Spaak (Eawag), Florian Altermatt (UNI, Eawag), Katja Räsänen (Eawag) and Chris Robinson (Eawag), specialists from the Aquatic Ecology department of Eawag and University of Zurich.
Lecture notesCourse notes and power point presentations provided during the course.
701-1437-03LLimnoecology II Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants is limited. The maximal participating number of students is 8 from D-USYS and 14 from D-BIOL (ETH & UZH).

Registration for the course until 02.09.2018, free places will be distributed 03.09.2018. Students registrating later can not be guaranteed a place in the course.

Students have to enroll together with the lecture Limnoecology I (701-1437-00V) and the Practical courses Macroinvertebrates (701-1437-01L) and Microinvertebrates and Cryptogames (701-1437-02L).
5 credits6UP. Spaak, F. Altermatt, K. J. Räsänen, C. T. Robinson
AbstractThis course builds on Limnoecology I and cannot be taken separately. It aims on extending the covered concepts and apply them to natural and experimental systems.
The course contains research projects, a 1-day excursion to a lake as well as a 3-day excursion to a river.
ObjectiveDuring the research project you will learn the principles of doing research to observe interrelations in aquatic ecosystems. You will measure and interpret biological and physical data (e.g. during experiments, field work). You will present the collected knowledge and write a report about it.
During the excursions you will get to know a lake system as well as a river system. The main goal of the excursions is that the students as a team conduct their own field research project and collect data in the field.
ContentThe field excursions contain a 1-day excursion to a lake (Greifensee) and a 3-day excursion to a river (Glatt, Niederuzwil).
The experimental part contains research projects in small groups within research groups at Eawag.
Lecture notesCourse notes and power point presentations provided during the course.
Prerequisites / NoticeThis course can only be taken together with "701-1437-00 Limnoecology I", "701-1437-01 Bestimmungskurs aquatische Makroinvertebraten" and "701-1437-02 Bestimmungskurs aquatische Mikroinvertebraten und Kryptogamen".

The maximal participating number of students is 8 from D-USYS and 14 from D-BIOL (ETH & UNI).
Registration for the course until 02.09.2018, free places will be distributed 03.09.2018. Students registrating later cannot be guaranteed a place in the course.

The course includes mandatory field trips to Greifensee (20.09.2018) and to the river Glatt (26.-28.09.2018).
701-2437-01LLimnoecology (incl. two Practical Courses)
The course "701-2437-01L Limnoökologie" must be booked as "BIO 309 Limnoecology" in the block course tool.
12 credits3V + 6U + 4PJ. Jokela, P. Spaak, F. Altermatt, K. J. Räsänen, C. T. Robinson
AbstractThis course combines Limnology (the study of inland waters in its broad sense) with ecological and evolutionary concepts. It deals with rivers, groundwater and lakes.
This course contains a lecture part, an experimental part, two determination courses (aquatic invertebrates and algae) as well as excursions.
ObjectiveDuring this course you will get an overview of the world's typical continental aquatic ecosystems. After this course you will be able to understand how aquatic organisms have adapted to their habitat, and how the interactions (e.g. food web) between organisms work.
During the experimental part of this course you will learn the principles of doing research to observe interrelations in aquatic ecosystems. You will measure and interpret biological and physical data (e.g. during experiments, field work) and present the collected knowledge.
After this course you will know the most important aquatic species groups (macroinvertebrates, microinvertebrates and cryptogames) in Switzerland and the most important identification traits.
ContentThe course contains a lecture part, an experimental part, two determination courses (aquatic invertebrates and algae) and field excursions.

Lecture:
The lecture part covers ecology and evolution of aquatic organisms in lentic and lotic waters. Topics include: Adaptations, distribution patterns, biotic interactions, and conceptual paradigms in freshwater ecosystems; important aspects regarding ecosystem metabolism and habitat properties of freshwaters; applied case studies and experiments testing ecological and evolutionary processes in freshwaters.

Practical part:
The practical part includes an excursion to Greifensee and a 3-day-excursion to the river Glatt in Niederuzwil, where you independently perform small research projects.
Additionally, you will perform in small groups an independent experiment in a research group at Eawag.

The taxonomic part will cover macroinvertebrates (e.g. Crustacean, aquatic insects), microinvertebrates and algae. The goal is to get to know the most common aquatic taxa in Switzerland, to identify them with commonly used identification literature, and to get an idea how these organisms are used in research and practice. (language: German, translation of the most important things during the course possible)
Lecture notesCourse notes and power point presentations provided during the course.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe maximal participating number of biology students is 14.

The course includes a 3-day-excursion to the river Glatt in Niederuzwil from 26th to 28th of September 2018.