SLM-32806 Ecohydrology

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

SLM-20806 Water Quantity and Quality; MAQ-22806 Atmosphere-Vegetation-Soil Interactions.

Continuation courses:

SLM-33306 Advanced Hydrological System Analysis.

Contents:

Vegetation develops in close interaction with surrounding atmosphere, soil and water. In this course we present main findings and issues of inductive and deductive eco-hydrological research. We look at positive and negative feedbacks between vegetation and main habitat factors and how plant growth efficiency is affected by their ability to capture water, sunlight and nutrients. We highlight rain fed and groundwater fed systems. We discuss implications of simple system theory for complex ecosystems and employ both conceptual and physical models for soil water flow and vegetation growth. An important item is the interaction between unsaturated zone and groundwater systems and the characterisation of regional groundwater flow. Experimental techniques to determine soil hydraulic functions and groundwater flow will be shown. We analyse the flow and connectivity of surface runoff and groundwater systems, using representative elementary areas or volumes. We consider eco-hydrological interactions both at local and regional scale, and at daily and seasonal time scale. We analyse the occurrence and origin of typical vegetation patterns. We address topical issues in eco-hydrology and present current eco-hydrological research in various climates. In computer practical's either models are constructed from scratch or advanced (eco)hydrological models will be applied.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- analyse robust vegetation, climate interactions;
- calculate evapotranspiration as function of vegetation type and soil moisture;
- deduce runoff and soil moisture redistribution in relation to climate, soil texture and drainage conditions;
- evaluate suitability of current soil water flow models for defined applications;
- analyse main physical habitat factors that govern vegetation growth;
- practice eco-hydrological feedbacks for typical biosphere environments;
- understand interaction between soil moisture and groundwater flow at regional scale;
- simplify analysis of regional terrestrial water flow in a justified way;
- apply stochastic approaches to derive long term water balances;
- deduce horizontal patterns due to spatial interactions between vegetation types and soil water.

Activities:

- attending lectures;
- practical training with computer models.

Examination:

- assignments (30%);
- discussions (20%);
- written exam (50%).

Literature:

Lecture notes and papers preview via MyPortal.