Sabine Güsewell: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2018 |
| Name | PD Dr. Sabine Güsewell |
| Field | Pflanzenökologie |
| Department | Environmental Systems Science |
| Relationship | Privatdozentin |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 701-0034-12L | Integrated Practical: Plant Ecology: From Theory to Practice  Does not take place this semester. | 1.5 credits | 3P | S. Güsewell | |
| Abstract | In this practical class, students investigate how the plant species composition of grasslands depends on management and soil conditions. They learn how to survey the composition of plant communities and how to plan, realise and analyse field experiments. They will understand how the traits of grassland species determine their response to management, and how this knowledge is applied in practice. | ||||
| Learning objective | Students will be able to: - Identify a plant's functional type, growth form and reproductive strategy and derive expectations regarding its response to management and its role in a plant community; - Recognize grassland types from their structure and species composition, and explain how they depend on soil conditions, microclimate and management; - Describe and explain changes in grassland composition after establishment and implications for grassland use; - Survey plant species composition and vegetation structure with established methods; measure soil properties and microclimate; - Carry out a field survey or a field experiment with a correct design; analyse the resulting data. | ||||
| Content | Wir führen Untersuchungen an der ETH Hönggerberg und in der Umgebung durch, um die Funktionsweise und Nutzung von Wiesen (Grünland) zu verstehen. Wir beginnen mit Populationen einzelner Pflanzenarten. Wie wachsen, überleben und vermehren sich die Pflanzen? Wieviel investieren sie in verschiedene Möglichkeiten der Vermehrung? Wie flexibel sind sie, und welche Strategien sind wann günstig? Wir vergleichen dann verschieden genutze Gründlandtypen miteinander: wie können wir sie schnell erkennen und ökologisch einordnen? Für das Praktikum haben wir Feldeperimente mit unterschiedlichen Wiesenmischungen angelegt. Die Versuchsflächen werden unterschiedlich geschnitten und gedüngt. Wir untersuchen, welche Pflanzentypen durch welche Nutzung gefördert werden, wie sich die Bestände mit der Zeit ändern, und ob artenreiche Wiesen stabiler sind als artenarme. Dazu führen wir Vegetationsaufnahmen durch, analysieren Bodenproben und messen Temperatur und Strahlung. Die Daten werden ausgewertet und mit Postern präsentiert und diskutiert. Wir vergleichen die Ergebnisse mit den Nutzungsempfehlungen für die Praxis. Schliesslich besuchen wir Feldexperimente, die von Praktikern angelegt und unterhalten werden. Die Projektleiter werden die Versuche vorstellen und über ihre Arbeit in der ökologischen Praxis berichten. | ||||
| Lecture notes | Handouts will be supplied in class. | ||||
| Literature | Specialized literature will be available during classes | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Bei den Felduntersuchungen sind gute Kleidung und Schuhe, Sonnen- und Regenschutz, sowie Massnahmen gegen Zeckenkrankheiten notwendig; die TeilnehmerInnen sind hierfür selbst verantwortlich. | ||||
| 701-0340-00L | Practical Course in Environmental Biology | 7 credits | 14P | C. Vorburger, M. Fischer, S. Güsewell, J. Jokela | |
| Abstract | This course aims at developing research skills in environmental biology. Students carry out small research projects in plant ecology, ecological genetics, aquatic ecology and population biology. These projects include field surveys as well as garden and laboratory experiments. Students analyse their data statistically and present the results both orally and in written reports. | ||||
| Learning objective | Students learn how to carry out ecological research projects. They obtain a thorough understanding of selected research topics, and they gain practical experience in handling a wide range of organisms in various types of ecosystems. After the course, successful participants can: - formulate precise research questions and testable hypotheses - design and set up experiments - measure appropriate variables (for the studied organisms and hypotheses) - analyse data statistically and draw conclusions from statistical outputs - present their results according to scientific standards in the research field | ||||
| Content | The semester starts with an introduction to research questions and hypotheses, experimental design and data analysis. During the semester, students carry out several small research projects in aquatic ecology, plant ecology and ecological genetics. Projects address specific research questions related to general topics such as: - resource acquisition - competition, grazing, predation, parasitism - population structure (demography, spatial patterns) - community composition, species diversity - species differentiation and hybridisation During the field course (one full week after the semester), students carry out their individual project in population biology. They choose the topic, organism and system they want to study and develop their own research questions. They conduct the entire research project by themselves and present their results orally and in a report. | ||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Compulsory attendance. Absences have to be compensated. Semester tasks: Oral and/or written presentations after different parts of the course. | ||||