Deeper insights into Landscape Ecology with emphasis on the interdisciplinary character of the field, use Landscape Ecological insights and innovation for practical landscape management

This course encompasses the theory of landscape ecology, quantitative methods for solving ecological problems in a spatial context, and use of simulation modeling for forecasting effects of landscape change. We will see how spatial analysis, GIS, and landscape vegetation models are applied to problems in disturbance ecology, conservation management, biodiversity protection, and landscape design.

This course introduces plant ecology. Through lectures, exercises and excursions, students will gain a broad vision of the cutting edge topics that are being researched and studied at the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH and WSL. This will be the base for a future dialog between the field of landscape architecture and the field of sciences.

The course is an introduction to Landscape Ecology and Landscape Modelling and provides various practical applications of Landscape Ecology in nature and landscape management.

In this practical, students get to know important field and laboratory methods of forest and landscape research as well as landscape management. They apply these methods in the context of small projects. The practical consists of three parts: Ecology (both forest and landscape), Site Classification (soil science & vegetation science), and Land Management.