NCP-30306 Plant, Vegetation and Systems Ecology

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

NCP-21803 or CSA-20806 and NCP-22303

Contents:

Week 1: (in Wageningen): training in sampling, analyzing and interpretation of vegetation and abiotic data. Week 2 and 3: practical in the coastal ecosystems of the island of Terschelling: excursions to various ecosystems and landscapes with elucidation of ecological relations and discussion on possible research projects. Literature study on vegetation composition, ecology and dynamics of coastal ecosystems. In small groups: formulation of student research projects, collecting vegetation and abiotic data, analysis of soil samples (in Wageningen).
Week 4 (in Wageningen in the same small groups): classification of vegetation data, statistical analysis of relations with environmental factors, writing a research report (paper), giving an oral presentation.

Learning outcomes:

- to write, criticize and defend a research proposal;
- to collect vegetation and environmental data;
- to statistically analyze the data with univariate and multivariate statistical methods;
- to give a synthetic and ecological interpretation;
- to give an oral (PowerPoint) and written presentation (paper) of the results.

Activities:

Lectures, fieldwork, deskwork

Examination:

Based on: Participation, written and oral presentation

Literature:

Information about compulsory literature will be given before the course. Manuals will be available at the course.