From Mountain to Fjord – Geology and Ecology of Western Norway, GE475

"From Mountain to Fjord" is an interdisciplinary course with a main focus on the geology and ecology of western Norway. The course is taught at the Sogndal location of the Faculty of Engineering and Science(click here for a pdf-version of the information brochure).The Faculty is located at the shores of the Sogndalsfjord, a tributary of the famous Sognefjord in Western Norway. The area spans across a variety of ecosystems over very short distances ranging from alpine through lowland into the marine fjord environment. This landscape offers a unique natural laboratory for fieldwork and research.

The course qualifies for 30 European ects-credits, corresponding to one semester of fulltime academic study.

The target group consists of international Bachelor students who wish to take an interdisciplinary education unit in Norway. This also includes students within the European Erasmus exchange programme and Norwegian students. The "From Mountain to Fjord" course provides additional qualification for students ofbiology, geography, geology and environmental sciences.

Students who apply for the "From Mountain to Fjord" course should document at least 90ects credits, i.e. 1.5 years of academic study, at the time of their application. Credits should have been gained within the fields of biology, earth sciences, ecology, environmental sciences, geology or physical geography. The number of students is limited to 24 and student admission will be ranged according to relevance of the field of study and number of credits gained in this field at the time of application. Note that the "From Mountain to Fjord" course is only exceptional suited for post-Bachelor students.

The course is interdisciplinary and consists of three main blocks, involving a total of 21 days of fieldwork and excursion on land and on fjords. Please refer to the course syllabus for details.

Block I: Geological processes: 10ects credits

Block II: Ecological and surface processes: 10ects credits

Block III: Fjord processes: 10ects credits

The course focuses on the interaction of ecological documentation and geological source interpretation within the changing environment. The main concept is (a) to understand the formation of selected ecosystems based on bedrock geology, glacial geology and fjord hydrography, (b) to describe these selected ecosystems using vegetation ecology, fjord biology and limnology and (c) to conclude with the significance of fjord and freshwater sedimentology for the interpretation of environmental change along ecological gradients.

The course will thus follow the cycle of disciplines ranging from the documentation of environmental change within ecosystems and the resulting signals, via transport and alteration of these signals on gradients from mountain to fjord, to the deposition of these signals and their interpretation from the sediments back to their sources. The understanding of the total process provides an effective tool for the identification and timing of environmental change.

Description of the different topics (Please refer to the course syllabus for details).

Block I: Geological processes 6 weeks duration; 10ects credits

10 days of fieldwork and excursion

Bedrock Geology

-General bedrock geology of Western Norway

-Mountain building processes, metamorphic rocks and plate tectonics

-From Caledonian mountain building to the opening of the Norwegian Sea

Recent and ancient sedimentary process

-Recent and ancient depositional processes in sedimentary basins

-Mapping of ancient sediment basin deposits

-Interpretation of the depositional history of ancient sediments

Block II: Ecological and surface processes, 6 weeks duration; 10ects

8 days of fieldwork and excursion

Glacial Geology

-From Pleistocene to Holocene: The glacial history of Norway

-Glacial erosion, deposition processes and glacial morphology

-Holocene climate and vegetation history

-Walking on glaciers

Vegetation Ecology

-The effect of climate and topographical gradients on the vegetation

-The interrelationship between vegetation with past and present human activity

Limnology

-Hydrographical patterns of Norwegian rivers and lakes

-The interpretation of runoff and climate change from freshwater deposits

Block III: Fjord processes, 6 weeks duration; 10ects

3 days of fieldwork and excursion

Fjord Hydrography

-Physical and chemical conditions in fjords

-The influence of human disturbances

Fjord Biology

-Fjord biology

-Food webs in fjord environments

-Environmental change

Fjord Sedimentology

-Depositional processes in fjord environments

-Geochemistry and pollution of fjord sediments

-Using the sedimentary record for the interpretation environmental change

Summary of fieldwork and excursions "From Mountain to Fjord":

-Traverse across the Caledonian orogeny

-Sediment mapping and sediment formation

-Glaciology and walking on glaciers

-Glacial deposits - mapping and interpretation

-Glaciers, climate and vegetation gradients

-Climate, vegetation and limnology

-Walking vegetation gradients

-Fjord sampling from the boat - biology, hydrography and sediments

-Fjord biology - the Balestrand aquarium (and fishing)

-Fjord shorelines - walking the littoral zone

-Final excursion - from mountain to ocean coast

An optional 10ects crash course is offered in basic Norwegian language and communication skills at the beginning of the "From Mountain to Fjord" programme.

The language of instruction is English and teaching methods include lectures and excursions with fieldwork and laboratory practice. Students are also expected to participate actively in seminars. Most of the topics covered in lectures require additional, compulsory practical exercises and/or laboratory work.

Block I: Geological processes: 10ects credits

Field journals (one third of total)

Block II: Ecological and surface processes: 10ects credits

4 hours written (one third of total)

Block III: Fjord processes: 10ects credits

45 minutes oral (one third of total)