Tree-Ring Ecophysiological Research

• Uni Zürich GEO818.1: Tree-Ring Ecophysiological Research

Herbstsemester 2012

Dozierende

Paolo Cherubini

Lernziel

These lectures will demonstrate the role of tree-ring research in ecology, and answer the following questions: What are the aims and main limitations of the techniques? What are the major findings already achieved? What is the history of the discipline and the present state of the art, and the future challenges and needs of research?

Programm:

Two-hour lessons every second week at the University of Zurich, Irchel:
1. Biological basics of tree growth.
2. Wood anatomy, biology and physiology.
3. Dendrochronological methods in ecology: History and principles.
4. Designing an experiment in situ. Data analyses and statistics, interpretation of results.
5. Applications in environmental studies: Dendrochemistry (i.e. heavy metals), a case study.
6. Scientific writing and the publishing systems.
7. The impact on society (e.g., history, ecology, arts, forensics), and
recent relevant scientific contribution (e.g., IPCC).
Practical work in the field and in the laboratory:
1 day: In the field, at Celerina, Engadina: Sampling and site ecological description.
4 days: At the WSL, Birmensdorf ZH: Sample preparation, ring-width measurement, densitometry, and image analysis.

Weitere Informationen:

GEO 818 Tree-Ring Ecophysiological Research