The University Centre in Svalbard, Norway, announces a graduate student summer course, Arctic Plant Ecology. The course will be held 8 July through 7 August 2009. The course will start with a week of theory intertwined with demonstrations during short excursions around Longyearbyen. The second and main part of the course will be devoted to practical studies.

The course objective is to introduce students to the flora, phylogeography and vegetation history of the Arctic. Through practical fieldwork, students will gain an understanding of plant adaptations to
the arctic environment, of plant distribution and dispersal, and of plant community differentiation.

During an eight-day cruise onboard the MS Kongsoy students will visit different bioclimatic zones in Svalbard. The students will work on specific projects and produce scientific reports. The course is designed for PhD students, but is also suitable for students seeking an MSc degree.

Interested students should apply to take the course online at:
http://www.unis.no/studies. The application deadline is Sunday, 15 February 2009.

For further information, please contact:
Inger Greve Alsos
Email: inger.alsos@unis.no