About the course
Practical experience with morphology-based species identification is in high demand in both basic and applied biological research. You will study applied taxonomy, acquire identification and field collection skills, and learn how to prepare and mount specimens for preservation in museum collections.
This course will provide training in the identification of boreal and Arctic groups of flowering plants. Teaching will take place in the Skibotn area, which has a remarkably high species richness for such northern latitudes (68–69° N), challenging the general expectation that species richness decreases towards higher latitudes.
Daily excursions to both lowland and mountain habitats will be combined with practical work in the classroom to identify collected material using identification keys and to learn the diagnostic characters of plant taxa.
The field course is preceded by a self-study period, where students read about the main groups of vascular plants and prepare a lecture to be given during the course
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the participant is expected to be able to:
- Identify selected boreal and Arctic flowering plant taxa using morphological characters and identification keys.
- Recognise and describe key diagnostic characters of major vascular plant groups.
- Collect, document, and prepare plant specimens for long-term preservation in museum collections.
- Demonstrate field skills in locating, sampling, and recording plant diversity in different habitats.
Target group
The course is primarily intended for PhD students of the Photosyntech and BIOCORE research schools and for postdocs, but it is also open to MSc and BSc students, as well as non-students, if space is available.
Language
English
Credits
5 ECTS, accredited by the University of Tromsø. Course codes: BIO-3024 (MSc level) and BIO-8024 (PhD level)
Assessment
Assessment is based on performance during the practical parts of the course and a practical exam (pass/fail), which will be held on the last day of the course. The exam will consist of identification of specimens using keys and documentation of the distinct morphological characters used to classify the specimens to taxa at different taxonomic levels.
Teachers
Admission and application
Number of participants
15 participants
Eligibility
It is expected that all participants in the course are affiliated, or become affiliated, with the following research schools:
- Apply for membership in the Photosyntech Research School (PhD students in Norway only).
- Apply for membership in BIOCORE.
How to apply
Applications are now closed.
Important: PhD students in Norway must, in addition, apply to UiT (course code BIO-8024 or BIO-3024). UiT students must register through Studentweb; registration opens 15 May.
Selection process
Results will be announced by email on 15 June 2026.
Travel and financial support
We provide transport from Tromsø (The Arctic University Museum of Norway) to the Skibotn Field Station. Accommodation and subsistence at the Skibotn Field Station for the duration of the course will also be covered for all participants. There are no course fees.
Support to cover travel to Tromsø will be available to members of Photosyntech who are awarded activity grants and can use these grants to cover their travel expenses. Activity grants are paid out after each semester to members who have attended courses that year.
All other participants will need to secure their own funding to cover travel to Tromsø.
Contact
About the course
Galina Gusarova, Researcher, The Arctic University Museum of Norway
About Photosyntech Research School
Sunniva Katharina Thode, Coordinator of Photosyntech