911321 Field course soil ecology
- Type
- Exercise course
- Semester hours
- 2
- Lecturer (assistant)
- Organisation
- Offered in
- Wintersemester 2022/23
- Languages of instruction
- Englisch
- Content
-
The course consists of soil and site descriptions, soil sampling, laboratorial soil analysis and data analysis. During a 3 day field trip to the University forest demonstraction centre in Rosalia, the students will learn how to describe and sample a soil profile and combine theoretical and practical aspects of site descriptions to understand biotic and abiotic factors controlling soil development.
Soil profiles and soil samples will be taken along transects with different tree communities and hydrological conditions to analyse physical, chemical and biological soil properties. Analysed parameters will be soil moisture, soil density, root content, stone content, pH, carbonate, nitrate, ammonia, biomass and respiration. Analysis will be conducted directly in the field and in the University forest demonstraction centre in Rosalia.
The combination of various methodological approaches will connect topics as impact of tree stands and moisture condition on nutrient dynamics, which might be altered under predicted changed climatic conditions.
- Previous knowledge expected
-
- Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)
-
The students will learn how to describe and analyse soil profiles and samples in the field, and how to interpret site conditions as determining factors for soil properties. The results will be presented by the students as a poster after the field course, which shall help the students to summarize their most important findings in a short, scientific way.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.