751-5102-00L Biogeochemical Modeling of Agroecosystems
| Semester | Spring Semester 2018 |
| Lecturers | M. Necpalova, A. Hofmann, J. Six |
| Periodicity | every semester recurring course |
| Language of instruction | English |
Courses
| Number | Title | Hours | Lecturers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 751-5102-00 G | Biogeochemical Modeling of Agroecosystems Die Veranstaltung am 15.3. findet im CHN D44 statt. | 2 hrs |
| M. Necpalova, A. Hofmann, J. Six |
Catalogue data
| Abstract | This class provides an introduction to biogeochemical modeling in the context of agricultural systems. It covers the general background and principles of modeling agricultural biogeochemistry (e.g., plant growth, soil C&N dynamics and soil GHG emissions). It consists of lectures and exercises that focus on the theoretical background and practical application of the DayCent model to agroecosystems. |
| Learning objective | The aim of the class is to increase students' awareness of how important biogeochemical models are in environmental and ecological assessments of various agroecosystems. The focus is on the DayCent model understanding and its site level application, including model calibration, evaluation, and sensitivity/uncertainty analysis. |
| Content | - Introduction to the modeling process and overview of the widely used biogeochemical models - Using the biogeochemical model in the socioeconomic context - Management and environmental controls on biogeochemical processes - Modeling plant growth and development - Modeling soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics - Modeling soil greenhouse gas emissions - Model calibration - Model testing and evaluation - Overview of sensitivity analysis methods - Overview of uncertainty analysis methods Lab 1: How to set up the DailyDayCent model, overview of the model environment Lab 2: How to prepare DailyDayCent soil and weather input files Lab 3: How to schedule crop and management events and apply the model to site-specific conditions Lab 4: Running the model and exploring the plant growth sub-model Lab 5: Exploring the soil organic matter sub-model and nutrient dynamics Lab 6: Exploring the soil GHG sub-model and calculating soil net global warming potential Lab 7: How to calibrate the main crop and soil parameters in the model Lab 8: How to evaluate the model performance Lab 9: How to determine how sensitive the model output is with respect to model parameters and inputs Lab 10 and Lab 11: Students’ work on their final modeling projects with assistance |
| Lecture notes | Grading of the individual student performance (i.e. no group work) is based on: (1) quizzes on the class assignments during the semester (30%); (2) the presentation of the final modeling project (30%); and (3) the final modeling project report (40%). |
| Prerequisites / Notice | Students signing up for this course should have a strong interest in data analysis and modeling of ecosystem processes. The class is set up in a flipped classroom format. Please note that the assignments will require approximately 60 minutes of the preparation time for each class. |
Performance assessment
| Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again) | |
Performance assessment as a semester course | |
| ECTS credits | 3 credits |
| Examiners | J. Six, A. Hofmann, M. Necpalova |
| Type | graded semester performance |
| Language of examination | English |
| Repetition | Repetition only possible after re-enrolling for the course unit. |
Learning materials
| No public learning materials available. | |
| Only public learning materials are listed. |
Groups
| No information on groups available. |
Restrictions
| There are no additional restrictions for the registration. |
