Forest Ecology

Winter semester: This practical course will be held as a block-course at the Jungendwaldheim, Wessely Haus, in the oldest Nationalpark in Germany, the Bavarian Forest National Park. Here a rich fauna of large ungulates together with top predators as wolf and lynx roam the forests. The course will provide deep insights into the ecological role of vertebrates in forest ecosystems. During the course you will learn theory, fieldwork, statistical analyses and presentation of own research results. 

Summer semester: This practical course will be held as a block-course at the Field Station Fabrikschleichach. Here we will focus on the role of invertebrates in forest ecosystems, in particularly the role of forest insects in conservation and pest management. We will visit the coppicing with standard forests of Bad Windsheim as well as the experimental sites of the Beta-For DFG research unit in the University forest. During the course, you will learn theory about insects ecological functions and diversity, different methods of fieldwork, statistical analyses and presentation of own research results.