NBIA09039U Terrestrial Ecosystem Processes and Global Change

Volume 2013/2014
Education
MSc Programme in Biology
Content
The aim of the course is to provide the participants with a comprehensive understanding of processes in terrestrial ecosystems, and effects of global change change on processes and organisms. The focus is on carbon, water and nutrient cycling between plants, soil organisms, soil, and atmosphere. This includes lessons in radiation and energy balance, photosynthesis, respiration, water use efficiency and measures of stress, at leaf, plant and canopy level. Belowground processes as plant nutrient uptake and microbial turnover, mobilization and immobilization of nutrients, plant-microbe-animal interactions, rhizosphere processes and mycorrhizal function are also addressed, with focus on the importance of climate and anthropogenically induced climatic changes. Field and laboratory studies are performed and the results are presented orally and in reports. It is mandatory for the participants to present one or two journal papers with relation to the subjects taught in the lectures, and effects of global change in particular.
Learning Outcome
Knowledge:
The aim of the course is to provide the participants with a comprehensive understanding of processes in terrestrial ecosystems, and effects of global change change on processes and organisms. The focus is on carbon, water and nutrient cycling between plants, soil organisms, soil, and atmosphere. This includes lessons in radiation and energy balance, photosynthesis, respiration, water use efficiency and measures of stress, at leaf, plant and canopy level. Belowground processes as plant nutrient uptake and microbial turnover, mobilization and immobilization of nutrients, plant-microbe-animal interactions, rhizosphere processes and mycorrhizal function are also addressed, with focus on the importance of climate and anthropogenically induced climatic changes.

Skills:
The participants will obtain insight into the cycling of carbon, water and nutrient cycling between plants, soil, soil organisms and atmosphere, and to dissiminate this knowledge to fellow students and non-specialists. This includes experience in relevant methods for data acquisition. Field and laboratory work is performed and the data are presented in a report which includes statistical analysis of data and discussion of results. It is mandatory for the participants to present one or two journal papers with relation to the subjects taught in the lectures.

Competencies:
The student will achieve in-depth knowledge of carbon, water and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and on potential effects of environmental changes on key ecosystem processes. The student will obtain the necessary theoretical insight to be able to understand and comment critically on issues such as effects of climatic change, nitrogen deposition and changed land use on ecosystem function and feedback processes to the environment.
Literature
See Absalon.
Lectures, seminars and exercises.
The course is part of the qualification profile Ecosystem Functioning and Management. For all courses of the qualification profiles, see Course Portal for Department of Biology.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 14
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Excursions
  • 8
  • Lectures
  • 24
  • Practical exercises
  • 10
  • Preparation
  • 131
  • Project work
  • 15
  • Theory exercises
  • 1
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 2 hours under invigilation
Oral examination, 30 minutes
Two hours written examination with textbook and other aids, and oral examination (30 minute) without preparation.
Exam registration requirements
Active participation in the course (presentation of journal papers in seminar, participation in field and laboratory work and reporting) is required.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed
Textbook and other aids.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Re-exam
Oral.
Criteria for exam assesment
A student that has successfully passed the course examination with a level of "12" will possess the following qualifications:
  • be able to describe functional differences between selected main terrestrial ecosystem types, and major biomes
  • be able to describe biogeochemical and ecophysiological processes controlling ecosystem productivity
  • be able to explain the exchange of gases at soil, leaf and ecosystem level, and effects of climate change on the processes
  • be able to describe the interactions between plants, soil and microbes in relation to decomposition, organic matter turnover, and plant nutrient uptake
  • be able to evaluate the effects of global change such as altered land use, N deposition, CO2 concentration, UV-B radiation and climate change on ecosystems and key organisms, as well as possible feed back mechanisms to the climate
  • be able to use a range of relevant ecophysiological, biogeochemical and biological measurement techniques
  • be able to use statistical software to analyse data using ANOVA, t-test and correlation, and to report the results and discuss the biological implications using relevant literature be able to critically discuss scientific and popular articles as well as to mediate them orally and in writing