This week, students from NORD University are taking their learning to sea, getting hands-on experience in how we sample marine ecosystems. Bachelor’s and Master’s students are spending five days aboard the research vessel RV Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra, using a range of methods to sample everything from water and plankton to benthic organisms and fish.
The aim of the course is not only to give students theoretical knowledge about marine ecosystems, but also practical experience of how we actually study them. By collecting samples themselves, they learn how different sampling methods work, what they can tell us about the ocean, and – equally important – what their limitations are.
All samples collected during the cruise will be analysed by the students later in the laboratory in Mørkvedbukta. Based on their findings, they will write a cruise report, bringing together their fieldwork and results to build a complete picture of the marine ecosystems they sampled.
NORD Courses: Marine Research Methods at Sea BIO2024 (Bachelor level) and BIO5030 (Master level)