Students will be introduced to the natural history, cultural history, ecology, and management of different ecosystems in south west Germany and the Swiss Alps. This course will teach that current ecosystems are a result of the interaction between natural and antropogenic factors on various scales in time and space. In some examples of ecosystems students will learn to recognize and analyse the benefits and problems created by longterm human activities. This course includes several one-day excursions, field trainings and a two-day field study trip to the Swiss Alps.
Prerequisites:
Basic knowledge of ecology / natural resource management
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are able to:
- understand current ecosystems as a result of anthropogenic and natural factors.
- analyse the structure and dynamics of ecosystems using discussed methods.
- assess ecological risks and opportunities under changing enviromental conditions.
- understand regional concepts of nature protection and nature reserves and conflicts with tourism.
- communicate the gained knowledge in oral (short presentation, discussions) and written form (field report).
Method of presentation:
The course will be a combination of lectures, contributions of students (presentations), discussions, and several field study trips.
Required work and form of assessment:
Short presentation based on assigned literature, field trip reports; compulsory attendance at all field study trips; learning journal; final grades are based on short presentation in small groups (30%), field trip reports (40%) and final exam (30%).
content:
Week 1
Monday: Welcome and introduction to course resources & structure
Introduction to the natural history and biogeography of south west Germany. Assignments of topics and readings for short presentations
Reading: Glatzel, G. (1991); Spieker, H. (2003)
Tuesday: Field trip to naturally managed forests near Freiburg: discovering and analysing effects of historical cultivation and land use
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter B1; Pro Silva (1999): Brochure
Wednesday: Student presentations
Introduction to the cultural and natural history, ecology and management of mountain- forest ecosystems in the Black Forest
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter C6
Thursday: Field trip (snowshoeing) to managed and unmanaged subalpine forests in the nature reserve “Feldberg”
Friday: Report
Week 2
Monday Student presentations
Introduction to the ecology (e.g. climate influence), management and cultural history of semi-arid ecosystems in the Upper Rhine Valley
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter D1
Tuesday: Hiking tour through various semi-arid ecosystems (poor grasslands, vineyards and forests)
in the low vulcanic mountain range of the Kaiserstuhl (nature reserve “Badberg”)
Wednesday: Student presentations
How to determine the influence of regional climate and climate change on forest ecosystems
Reading: Schweingruber, F.H. (1996): Chapter 9,18,19
Thursday: Field training: analysing the influence of climate and human activities on an ancient box forest (nature reserve “Buchswald”) in the Southern Upper Rhine Valley
Friday: Report
Week 3
Monday: Student presentations
Introduction to the biogeography of the Swiss Alps and ecosystems in the Upper Rhine
Valley created by alpine sediments
Reading: Schuhmacher, S., Bugmann, H. (2006)
Tuesday: Field trip to flood plains and cultivated loess-terraces (created by an alpine regime) in Burkheim
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter B5
Wednesday & Thursday: Field trip to the Swiss Alps:
Long term land use and the effects on present ecosystems
Nature reserves and conflicts with tourism
Friday Final exam and Report
Required readings:
Pre-course reading:
Ellenberg, H. (2009): Vegetation ecology of Central Europe. Cambrige Univ. Press, 4th ed.:
- Chapter A1: The vegetation of Central Europe in general (pp 1-13);
- Chapter A2: The development of the plant cover under the influence of man (pp 14-42);
During course:
Ellenberg, H. (2009): Vegetation ecology of Central Europe. Cambrige Univ. Press, 4th ed.:
- Chapter B1: General view of the Central European woodlands (pp 43-49);
- Chapter B5: Tree and shrub vegetation of flood plains and peat lands (pp 243-247,pp 255-256);
- Chapter C6: The vegetation above the alpine tree line (pp 388-403);
- Chapter D1: Formations created and maintained largely by man´s activities (pp 467-476, pp 484-490).
Glatzel, G. (1991): The impact of historic land use and modern forestry on nutrient relations of Central
European forest ecosystems. Fertilizer Research, 27, 1-8
Pro Silva (1999): Brochure “close to nature forest management”. PRO SILVA. European federation of foresters advocating forest management based on natural processes (ed.), 1-12 http://www.prosilvaeurope.org
Schuhmacher, S., Bugmann, H. (2006): The relative importance of climatic effects, wildfires and management for future forest landscape dynamics in the Swiss Alps. Global Change Biology, 12/8, 1435-
1450.
Spieker,H. (2003): Silvicultural management in maintaining biodiversity and resistance of forests in
Europe (temperate zone). Journal of Environmental Management 67, 55-65.
Schweingruber, F.H. (1996): Treeings and Environment Dendroecology. Verlag Paul Haupt
- Chapter 9: Growth factors (pp 27-36);
- Chapter 18: Influence of Man (pp 344, pp 414-420);
- Chapter 19: Influence of Climate (Dendroclimatology) (pp 440, pp 444-449).
Recommended readings:
Otti Wilmanns: Können Trockenrasen derzeit trotz Imissionen überleben, English abstract.
Anstett, M., Bogenrieder A. (2005): Naturforschende Gesellschaft Freiburg 95/2: Dendrologische und ökologische Untersuchungen an Buxus sempervirens im Buchswald bei Grenzach, English abstract.
Students will be introduced to the natural history, cultural history, ecology, and management of different ecosystems in south west Germany and the Swiss Alps. This course will teach that current ecosystems are a result of the interaction between natural and antropogenic factors on various scales in time and space. In some examples of ecosystems students will learn to recognize and analyse the benefits and problems created by longterm human activities. This course includes several one-day excursions, field trainings and a two-day field study trip to the Swiss Alps.
Basic knowledge of ecology / natural resource management
By the end of the course, students are able to:
- understand current ecosystems as a result of anthropogenic and natural factors.
- analyse the structure and dynamics of ecosystems using discussed methods.
- assess ecological risks and opportunities under changing enviromental conditions.
- understand regional concepts of nature protection and nature reserves and conflicts with tourism.
- communicate the gained knowledge in oral (short presentation, discussions) and written form (field report).
The course will be a combination of lectures, contributions of students (presentations), discussions, and several field study trips.
Short presentation based on assigned literature, field trip reports; compulsory attendance at all field study trips; learning journal; final grades are based on short presentation in small groups (30%), field trip reports (40%) and final exam (30%).
Week 1
Monday: Welcome and introduction to course resources & structure
Introduction to the natural history and biogeography of south west Germany. Assignments of topics and readings for short presentations
Reading: Glatzel, G. (1991); Spieker, H. (2003)
Tuesday: Field trip to naturally managed forests near Freiburg: discovering and analysing effects of historical cultivation and land use
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter B1; Pro Silva (1999): Brochure
Wednesday: Student presentations
Introduction to the cultural and natural history, ecology and management of mountain- forest ecosystems in the Black Forest
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter C6
Thursday: Field trip (snowshoeing) to managed and unmanaged subalpine forests in the nature reserve “Feldberg”
Friday: Report
Week 2
Monday Student presentations
Introduction to the ecology (e.g. climate influence), management and cultural history of semi-arid ecosystems in the Upper Rhine Valley
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter D1
Tuesday: Hiking tour through various semi-arid ecosystems (poor grasslands, vineyards and forests)
in the low vulcanic mountain range of the Kaiserstuhl (nature reserve “Badberg”)
Wednesday: Student presentations
How to determine the influence of regional climate and climate change on forest ecosystems
Reading: Schweingruber, F.H. (1996): Chapter 9,18,19
Thursday: Field training: analysing the influence of climate and human activities on an ancient box forest (nature reserve “Buchswald”) in the Southern Upper Rhine Valley
Friday: Report
Week 3
Monday: Student presentations
Introduction to the biogeography of the Swiss Alps and ecosystems in the Upper Rhine
Valley created by alpine sediments
Reading: Schuhmacher, S., Bugmann, H. (2006)
Tuesday: Field trip to flood plains and cultivated loess-terraces (created by an alpine regime) in Burkheim
Reading: Ellenberg H. (2009): Chapter B5
Wednesday & Thursday: Field trip to the Swiss Alps:
Long term land use and the effects on present ecosystems
Nature reserves and conflicts with tourism
Friday Final exam and Report
Pre-course reading:
Ellenberg, H. (2009): Vegetation ecology of Central Europe. Cambrige Univ. Press, 4th ed.:
- Chapter A1: The vegetation of Central Europe in general (pp 1-13);
- Chapter A2: The development of the plant cover under the influence of man (pp 14-42);
During course:
Ellenberg, H. (2009): Vegetation ecology of Central Europe. Cambrige Univ. Press, 4th ed.:
- Chapter B1: General view of the Central European woodlands (pp 43-49);
- Chapter B5: Tree and shrub vegetation of flood plains and peat lands (pp 243-247,pp 255-256);
- Chapter C6: The vegetation above the alpine tree line (pp 388-403);
- Chapter D1: Formations created and maintained largely by man´s activities (pp 467-476, pp 484-490).
Glatzel, G. (1991): The impact of historic land use and modern forestry on nutrient relations of Central
European forest ecosystems. Fertilizer Research, 27, 1-8
Pro Silva (1999): Brochure “close to nature forest management”. PRO SILVA. European federation of foresters advocating forest management based on natural processes (ed.), 1-12 http://www.prosilvaeurope.org
Schuhmacher, S., Bugmann, H. (2006): The relative importance of climatic effects, wildfires and management for future forest landscape dynamics in the Swiss Alps. Global Change Biology, 12/8, 1435-
1450.
Spieker,H. (2003): Silvicultural management in maintaining biodiversity and resistance of forests in
Europe (temperate zone). Journal of Environmental Management 67, 55-65.
Schweingruber, F.H. (1996): Treeings and Environment Dendroecology. Verlag Paul Haupt
- Chapter 9: Growth factors (pp 27-36);
- Chapter 18: Influence of Man (pp 344, pp 414-420);
- Chapter 19: Influence of Climate (Dendroclimatology) (pp 440, pp 444-449).
Otti Wilmanns: Können Trockenrasen derzeit trotz Imissionen überleben, English abstract.
Anstett, M., Bogenrieder A. (2005): Naturforschende Gesellschaft Freiburg 95/2: Dendrologische und ökologische Untersuchungen an Buxus sempervirens im Buchswald bei Grenzach, English abstract.