[Taxacom] C rustacean course

[Dieter Waloßek]

Hi all, also this year we are offering a course on Crustacea (in English) for students at the masters level.
Yours, Dieter Waloszek
Masters Programme Course: Morphology, Systematics, and Phylogeny of Crustacea

Dates: from April 30 to May 18, 2012

Location: at the AG Biosystematic Documentation, University of Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 20, 89081 Ulm, Germany

Contact: Prof. Dr. Dieter Waloszek or apl Prof. Dr. Andreas Maas

Email: andreas.maas at uni-ulm.de, phone x49-731-5031002, fax x49-731-5031009

Course Description, Language, and Fees: Intended for students at the masters level. Language: English; materials (handouts, course script) also offered in English). No course fees taken, but students must provide for their travel to Ulm and living expenses (we help finding a suitable accommodation). Maximum number of students is eight due to our equipment.

Necessary background: Students should have finished their bachelor and should have a profound interest in morphology and systematics. Some background in arthropod morphology and phylogeny is desired.

Lecture: Three weeks from Monday to Friday from 09:00–11:00 h. Themes: Crustacea as an example of a diversified and species-rich animal taxon. Introduction to crustacean morphology, ontogeny, systematics, phylogeny and evolution (incl. fossil evidence). Key features and key events in the evolution of the group. Focus will be on morphological, functional, and ontogenetic aspects to understand adult morphologies and life habits of living taxa. Introduction to all major groups and their ground patterns; student will get a chance to examine examples of many taxa. We will also address problems concerning the current state of crustacean morphology/terminology, and systematics/ phylogeny. Lastly general biological aspects will be covered, such as the role of crustaceans in ecosystems, their role as parasites and invaders, and their connection to humans (food and more).

Laboratory: Three weeks from Monday to Friday from 13:00–17:30 h: Lab work includes morphological preparation, inspection and documentation of examples of all major crustacean taxa. Documentation by the students will include different techniques of light microscopy, photography, illustration, and SEM studies. More methods include culture experiments (also larvae).

A one-day excursion is envisaged to collect freshwater crustaceans near Ulm.

Goal: To give students deeper insight into one of the major groups of Euarthropoda, the largest aquatic arthropod taxon, and, possibly, the most diversified one.

Offers: Literature about Crustacea, including special scientific articles; handouts (ca. 200), pdfs of lecture PowerPoint slides, and a guide booklet along with the lab work (ca. 40 pages).

Workload: No reading prior to the course is needed, but it is desirable to know a little bit about crustaceans beforehand. Students will prepare short summaries of their own small projects performed during the course and present these at the end of each week. Written examination and certificate with creditpoints if wanted.

Ideas/suggestions for social activities (in the evenings and two free weekends): view of the old parts of Ulm; typical Swabian food (and/or beer, regional wines); day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle in southwest Bavaria at one of the weekends or mountain walking on the Fellhorn/Allgäu. 


Prof. Dr. Dieter Waloßek
Universität Ulm, AG Biosystematische Dokumentation
Helmholtzstraße 20, 89081 Ulm
Tel. 0731-5031000, Fax 5031009
dieter.waloszek at uni-ulm.de

WEBSITE: http://biosys-serv.biologie.uni-ulm.de/
Center of Orsten Research & Exploration C.O.R.E.:  http://www.CORE-Orsten-Research.de