701-0038-02L Field Course Chemistry and Environment
| Semester | Spring Semester 2018 |
| Lecturers | B. Wehrli |
| Periodicity | yearly recurring course |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Comment | Number of participants limited to 80. Priority is given to BSc Environmental Sciences students until February 26,2018. The waiting list will be deleted after March 2nd, 2018. Only one Field Course can be chosen per semester: Field Course Ecology (701-0038-01L) Field Course Chemistry and Environment (701-0038-02L). |
| Abstract | The field course consist of an introductory part and two days of field work focusing on a lake system. The students will gather insights into sensor technology for quantifying hydrological and chemical processes. They learn how to evaluate data series and to apply simple models in order to address questions of water management. |
| Objective | The studens get familiar with in-situ measurements and sampling of water and sediments. They use their knowledge in chemistry and systems analysis in order to address questions of ecosystem functions and the management of a lake in an intensively modified environment. |
| Content | The introduction (3 hours) covers the basic themes of * lakes as biogeochemical systems, stratrification of the water column, variability of in- and outflows, sediment archives, * typical measurement systems for hydrological and chemical parameters, * working groups for the field days and workplan. In the field course the students work in groups on three different topics 1. The lake reflects its catchment: The students analyze nutrient loads in the inflows and the outflow and use existing data to construct a mass balance 2. Sediment archives: We retrieve sediment cores in order to estimate sedimenation rates and to reconstruct the changes in water quality over the last century. 3. From light to darkness: Using profiling equippment the students analyze the vertical stratification of the lake and the varibility of light and chemical parameters. 4. Think about it! In the fourth part the students assemble the different facts in order to draw some practical conclusions. |
| Lecture notes | A guide for the field work and electronic data series will be avialable. |
| Prerequisites / Notice | Bachelor courses: Chemie I und II (529-2001-02, 529-2002-02) |