OEKB301897 Forests and water

Type
Lecture and seminar
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Schume, Helmut
Organisation
Forest Ecology
Offered in
Sommersemester 2026
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Understanding how forest ecosystems as long-lived and tall vegetation forms are interacting with the hydrologic cycle and the atmosphere, thereby deploying vital ecosystem services (provision of drinking water, flood protection, cooling effect on climate).
Putting things into relation: global water cycle, water balance of Austria, significance of water vapour for the climate.
Physioloical fundamentals – tree level: water transport along the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, the water potential concept
Stand level: components of the forest stand water balance, storages and fluxes with emphasis on infiltration and transpiration
Stressors: water shortage and flooding, climatic water balance and lower treeline, grounwater fed systems
Watershed level: landuse and runoff in Alpine catchments; catchment studies, effect of deforestation.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Students will have gained knowledge of how forests deploy their ecosystem services, particularly their protection and welfare functions. More in detail, students will have attained knowledge of the balancing effect of forests on runoff and on local/regional climate and their impact on water quality. They will have conceived the importance of infiltration and transpiration in this context, and how these processes can be influenced by disturbances and forest management. They will be able to explain and assess the diverging contributions of different land use forms to the runoff from Alpine catchments.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.