916308 Forest protection

Type
Lecture and seminar
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Kirisits, Thomas , Stauffer, Christian
Organisation
Offered in
Sommersemester 2025
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

This course reviews the biology and ecology of selected forest insects and their role as pests or natural enemies in mountain forests as well as the role of diseases in mountain forests and afforestations at high altitudes. Examples of forest health problems in plantation forests will also be reviewed and the global importance of pests, pathogens and abiotic damaging factors in forest and natural resource management will be highlighted. The students shall attain skills for determination and evaluation of abiotic damages and frequent and/or important insect pests and tree diseases in mountain forests and afforestations at high altitudes. Specimens will be examined macroscopically and microscopicically and students will be trained in differential diagnosis of forest damages based on symptoms and signs. The course also introduces to methods of monitoring, prognosis, risk assessment as well as pest and disease management in mountain forests, to the importance of predisposing factors for disease development and insect damage, to the role of provenances and to the risks of growing exotic tree species. The field component of the course will consist of a one-day excursion. In addition, students will be asked to work on a specific forest protection problem (e. g. from their home country) as part of their semester project, which will be presented in a seminar to the other students.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

This course aims to provide an overview of abiotic risks, insect pests and forest tree diseases in mountain forests and afforestations at high altitudes. Examples of forest health problems in plantation forests will also be reviewed. The students shall develop skills to understand specific disease symptoms, pathogenesis and host-pathogen/pest-environment-relationships, to develop strategies of disease/pest prevention and management and to appraise the global importance of pests, pathogens and abiotic damaging factors in forest and natural resource management.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.