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751-5101-00L 3 Credits MSC D-USYS

Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Agro- and Forest Ecosystems

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Nina Buchmann, Dr. Iris Feigenwinter

VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:07:20

Abstract

This course focuses on the interactions between ecology, biogeochemistry and management of agro- and forest ecosystems, thus coupled human-environmental systems. Students learn how environmental conditions but also human impacts on ecosystems via management influence the greenhouse gas exchange (fluxes) between atmosphere and biosphere.

Objective

Students will analyse and understand the complex and interacting processes of ecology, biogeochemistry and management of agroecosystems and forests. They will use their theoretical knowledge in two flipped classroom exercises but also program a data logger to measure meteorological variables, analyze large meteorological and flux data sets, and evaluate the impacts of weather events and management practices on ecosystem greenhouse gas fluxes. Thus, students will expand their computational competences. Moreover, they will be able to coordinate and work successfully in small (interdisciplinary) teams.

Content

Agroecosystems and forests play a major role in all landscapes, either for production purposes, ecological areas or for recreation. The human impact of any management on the environment is mainly driven by effects on biogeochemical cycles. Effects of global change impacts will also act via biogeochemistry at the soil-biosphere-atmosphere-interface. Thus, ecosystem functioning, i.e., the interactions between ecology, biogeochemistry and management of terrestrial systems, is the science topic for this course. Students will gain profound knowledge about biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas fluxes in managed grassland, cropland and forest ecosystems as well as expand their computational competences. Responses of these ecosystems to the environment, i.e., to climate and weather events, but also to management will be studied. Two flipped class-room exercises include the assessment of biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystems after a disturbance and the experimental design of an own study. Students will connect meteorological sensors to data loggers and program them to take measurements. Meteorological and greenhouse gas flux data will be analysed (using R or python) and assessed in terms of production, greenhouse gas budgets, and carbon sequestration. Thus, students will learn how to collect, analyse and interpret data about the complex interactions of a coupled human-environmental system. Students will work in groups (3-5 persons per group) with data from a small weather station (dedicated to the course), as well as data from long-term measurements collected within the network Swiss FluxNet and from global databases. Data from an intensively managed grassland site will be used to investigate the biosphere-atmosphere exchange of CO2, N2O and CH4. Functional relationships will be identified; greenhouse gas budgets will be calculated for different time periods and in relation to management events.

Resources

Lecture Notes

Handouts will be available on moodle.

General Information

Language: English
Levels: MSC
Frequency: Yearly recurring

Examination

Type: graded semester performance

Attendance and active participation during all parts of the course is expected (min. 80% attendance in presence and attendance of the excursion).Performance assessment consists of different parts: (1) active participation, (2) individual work (flipped classroom) and (3) group work (3-5 persons per group; flipped classroom, data analysis tasks). The flipped classroom tasks count 40% and include (a) reading parts of two book chapters and answering predefined questions individually; and (b) applying the knowledge from two flipped classroom tasks in two written assignments as a group. Data tasks in a group count 60% and include (a) flux data analyses and (b) writing two short scientific reports (in English).All tasks are due during the semester. Group registration is open until Thursday, September 24th 2026, 23:59. The entry for group work counts as registration for the performance assessment. Last deregistration date for this course is Thursday, October 1st 2026, 23:59. Please note that after that date, no deregistration is accepted, and the course will be graded in any case.

Course Components

Type	Title	Time & Place	Hours
lecture with exercise	Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Agro- and Forest Ecosystems This course was previously named "Biogeochemistry and Sustainable Management". In addition to the regular lecture, data and measurement tasks take place on following Mondays (08:15-12:00): 28.09.2026 05.10.2026 02.11.2026 excursion to Waldlabor 09.11.2026 On 02.11.2026, an excursion to the Waldlabor ( ) will take place in the morning.	No time listed	2 h weekly