Identification and description of the relationship between habitat (abiotic factors) and different biocoenoses.

The focus will be on agro-ecology and ecology of urban habitats. Both experience frequent disturbances, specific chemical influences, and extreme climatic conditions. Additionally, in urban habitats edaphic conditions are difficult as well. Turnover of species diversity and composition are higher, both locally and temporary, compared to natural conditions at comparable sites.

Restoration ecology has become an important field of ecology. The original trial and error approach is now more and more replaced by a more systematic and scientific approach.The course covers general principles of restoration ecology and practical applications mainly for wet and dry meadow restoration and restoration of rivers/streams. Forested habitats will only be touched marginally.

The course gives an introduction to experimental plant ecology. A wide range of experiments close to applications (especially in conservation biology), to the influence of global change on ecosystems to fundamental research about coexistence of plants in ecosystems will be covered with lectures, excursions, demonstrations and own experiments.

This 1st year Laboratory course introduces the student to the entire range of classical and modern molecular biosciences. During this course (Praktikum GL BioI) the students will do three praktikum days in:- Biochemistry- Cell Biology I- Microbiology- Plant Anantomy & Ecology(total of 12 experiments)Each experiment takes one full day.

Model systems are widely used. Only in ecology, its use is not so widespread, even though valuable information can be gained from them. In this lecture, the spectrum from small microcosms in the lab to huge field experiments will be covered. Which questions can be answered with which design? Where are the limitations?

In the seminar, students explore a specific topic in environmental biology (ecology, evolution, health). They find and read scientific articles, structure contents around core questions, talk to specialists about them, prepare a scientific presentation and lead a discussion. They are introduced to literature search and scientific presentations.

Students present seminars on selected topics in terrestrial systems sciences (e.g., soil sciences, plant ecology). The scientific content of the seminars will then be discussed by the students. At the end the quality of presentation will also be critically evaluated and discussed.

Organisms and environment: terrestrial insects, insect-plant interactions, insect behaviour,

The pedological excursions are field trips to personally inspect the major soil types in our region. The various soil horizons can be seen and assessed in excavated soil pits. The purpose of this excercise is to recognize the important features of these soils and to understand the ecosystem processes at these sites. This unit complements the teaching materials and contents of the courses taught in

Project work in plant ecology, soil chemistry, soil protection, and soil microbiology with the aim of learning and applying field and laboratory methods for the investigation and description of terrestrial ecosystems.