mar600 - Profile Module Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology (Complete module description)

Module label	Profile Module Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology
Module code	mar600
Credit points	6.0 KP
Workload	180 h
Institute directory	Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment
Applicability of the module	Master's Programme Microbiology (Master) > Mastermodule
Responsible persons	Brinkhoff, Thorsten Henning (Module counselling)
Prerequisites
Skills to be acquired in this module	Skills to be acquired in this module The students learn to… · analyse bacterial substrates at ambient concentrations such as dissolved amino acids and carbohydrates by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). · determine bacterial cell numbers by flow cytometry and epifluorescence microscopy and to analyse these data by image analysis. · extract bacterial DNA from water and sediment samples. · amplify bacterial genes by specific primers and PCR. · assess bacterial communities by culture-independent methods such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and next generation sequencing. · present and discuss scientific results. · write a scientific protocol. The students gain competences in: · Understanding how to analyse dissolved substrates of heterotrophic aquatic bacterial communities by state of the art approaches. · How to assess the abundance of aquatic bacterial communities by state of the art approaches. · Analysing the composition of bacterial communities by PCR-based culture-independent approaches.
Module contents	The course starts with a lecture introducing basic issues of aquatic microbial ecology with an emphasis on methodological aspects. This lecture is completed before the practical work starts. During the practical course of a block of two weeks the participants carry out analyses and experiments on: · determining the concentration of dissolved organic substrates (amino acids, carbohydrates), · the abundance of bacterial communities in aquatic systems · the composition of bacterial communities in environmental samples by 16S rRNA gene fragments. The main emphasis is on analyses and approaches of bacterial communities in the water column.
Recommended reading	Lecture notes, available on Stud.IP
Links
Language of instruction	English
Duration (semesters)	1 Semester
Module frequency	annual
Module capacity	unlimited
Type of module	Wahlpflicht / Elective
Module level	AC (Aufbaucurriculum / Composition)
Teaching/Learning method	Block course, 2 weeks; practical course and seminar
Previous knowledge	For the practical course lecture: Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology

Type of course	SWS	Frequency	Workload of compulsory attendance
Seminar	1	WiSe	14
Exercises	6	WiSe	84
Total module attendance time			98 h

Examination	Prüfungszeiten	Type of examination
Final exam of module	Will be announced during the course	One assessment of examination: Portfolio: Protocol (100 %), seminar presentation (no mark) Active participation: Active and documented participation in practical courses (labs, exercises, seminars, field trips) and courses. These include e.g. the delivery of exercises, writing a lab report or seminar presentations according to the advice of the course supervisor.