Organic matter in soil; pools and processes

26 May - 1 June 2002.

The aim of the course is to introduce PhD students of soil science to general concepts and to give hands-on experience with selected methods, which can be useful in many different projects.

Target group: Ph.D. students in natural and agricultural sciences with projects related to soil processes. Students will typically be engaged in projects in one of the following fields: (i) field studies on nutrients, (ii) process studies on key factors for microbial activity, (iii) taxonomic studies of organisms participating in soil processes, (iv) work on new methods to identify specific groups of organisms in situ. The format of the course with time for discussions and experimental work gives good opportunities for interaction between the invited teachers and the participants and is important for the course. The course is intended to give 8 ECTS points of credits.

Accomodation: Brorfelde field station, NV Sjælland, approx. 60 km from Copenhagen.

Schedule: 26 May: arrival, evening excursion to field sites. 27-30 May: Morning lectures, field and laboratory work in the afternoon, evening seminars. 31 June: Report preparation. 1 June: Report presentation, evaluation, and departure.

SUGGESTED PROGRAM

The following topics are covered in lectures, seminars or laboratory exercises.

The ecosystem

Ecosystem structure and function; soil solution chemistry; pedology, mull and mor; soil organic matter.

Production and decomposition of organic matter

Plant ecophysiology, (carbon balance of stand and single plant level); decomposition processes; spatial variation in activity in soil.

Nitrogen and carbon cycling, trace gases

N-cycling; CO₂ fluxes; methane production, methanogens; methane oxidation and nitrous oxide production.

Micro-organisms

Methods to study the functional stucture of microbial communities; molecular biology; a linkage between microbial ecology, general ecology and organismal biology; fungi, functional (enzymatic) diversity; mycorrhiza in organic matter turnover.

Soil fauna

Soil fauna and soil processes; macrofauna (insects, earthworms); mesofauna (collembola, mites); microfauna (protozoa, nematodes).

Organizers (from University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science) are: Henrik Breunning Madsen, Inst. Geography; Sven Jonasson, Dept. Ecological Botany; Annelise Kjøller, Sten Struwe, Dept. General Microbiology, Søren Christensen, Dept. Terrestrial Ecology.

If you are interested in participating in the course please send your name, address, title of your ph.d. project and a few lines describing it, including starting and termination date. Application should be sent by e-mail, fax, or ordinary letter before 1 February 2002 to the address below. You will be notified before the end of March about your attendance (limit 20 students) and you will receive detailed information on how to reach the site. In case of vacancy later enrollment is possible. There are no tuition or accommodation fees but attendants will have to pay for their own transport.

Send application to: Søren Christensen, Copenhagen University, Dept. Terrestrial Ecology, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Phone: +45 3532 1274, Fax: +45 3532 1250, Email: SCHRISTENSEN@ZI.KU.DK.

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