Overordnede kursusmål
The goal of the course is that the student obtains a scientific
understanding of the structure and functioning of terrestrial
ecosystems using examples ranging from the Arctic to the Tropics to
demonstrate how they react under differing conditions. It will
provide the basic principles and will be related to ecosystem
services provided for the human society and to the perturbation of
ecosystems by anthropogenic activities. Some emphasis will be given
to specific topics of high relevance to environmental engineering
such as soil properties, biogeochemical cycles, bio-monitoring,
bio-remediation, and impact of human activities such as air
pollution and land-use change.
Læringsmål
En studerende, der fuldt ud har opfyldt kursets mål, vil kunne:
- Analyse questions about ecosystem behaviour based on a set of
principles for terrestrial ecosystems.
- Analyse how ecosystems develop and change over temporal and
spatial scales.
- Apply simple mathematical models as predictive tools of
ecosystem behaviour.
- Conduct laboratory analyses and analyse and report the
results.
- Analyse, report, and present data from measurements made in the
field.
- Compare element cycle characteristics of ecosystems of major
biomes in different climates.
- Evaluate the ecosystem services of a given ecosystem.
- Evaluate the resilience and reaction of ecosystems to
perturbation, whether natural or man-made.
Kursusindhold
The focus of the course will be mainly on atmosphere-vegetation-
soil- microorganisms. Topics covered include: Ecosystem structure,
soil characteristics, energy and water, plant production, soil
organic matter, organisms and ecosystem processes, ecosystem
modeling, biogeochemical cycles, global change, ecosystem services,
ecosystem resilience, and environmental impact of perturbations.
Two practical exercises are included: soil sampling and analysis,
and measurements of plant-atmosphere relations.
Litteraturhenvisninger
Ågren, G.I. and Andersson, F.O.: Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology –
Principles and Applications, Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Notes
Manuals for practical exercises.
Sidst opdateret
04. marts, 2020
