Biogeochemical Cycles

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

Current environmental research has to meet the challenges of climate change and other human-made impacts. The cycle of major elements in ecosystems depends on interactions between organisms and their abiotic environment and will be affected by these environmental changes at different scales, i.e. from local to global and from the molecular to the landscape level. This course focus on fluxes of elements and substances in soils and their impacts on the atmosphere and the hydrosphere.

Special attention will be paid to:

• Soil as a habitat for (micro)organisms and as a reactor controlling biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems
• Important processes and boundary conditions regulating cycles of C, N, P and pollutants
• Importance of soil organic matter for biogeochemical cycles in a changing environment and feedback reactions to global change
• Approaches to quantify biogeochemical cycles and their controlling processes
• Interaction of biogeochemical cycles and (in)organic pollutants

Topics of the different lectures:

• Introduction to important principles of Biogeochemistry 
• Introduction to physiology and biochemistry of soil organisms and important soil habitats 
• Carbon cycling and formation of soil organic matter including approaches for quantification, effects of climate change, linkage between terrestrial and aquatic systems 
• Role of N in ecosystem functioning and management
• Use of stable C and N isotopes in Biogeochemistry 
• Relevance of Dissolved Organic Matter 
• Biogeochemical cycling of N and P in dune ecosystems 
• Biogeochemical cycling of (in)organic pollutants 

Computer practical metal speciation modelling 

Study materials

Literature

• Schlesinger, W. H., Bernhardt, E. S. (2013). Biogeochemistry: an Analysis of Global Change. Third Edition. Academic Press.

Other

• Furthermore, the study material for each lecture (also mandatory for the exam) consists of two scientific papers per theme. The link to these papers will be made available via Blackboard.

Objectives

After this course, the student is able to:

• describe biogeochemical processes controlling the cycle of major elements like C, N, P and pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems with a strong focus on soil processes.
• understand the effects of changes in climate and land-use on element cycles with focus on C.
• describe approaches to quantify biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems and feedback reactions to the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
• present and discuss one of the topics of the course in a poster session.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study

Lectures, self-tuition, student’s presentations, computer practicum and excursions. In the first weeks of the course lectures will be given tackling the various topics mentioned above. This will be followed by an excursion to a research institute and field sites in the Netherlands and/or abroad (e.g., Belgium or Germany). At these sites various approaches of quantifying biogeochemical cycles in different ecosystems will be visualized which were theoretically discussed during the lectures. These sites may also be used for student’s master thesis projects. The students will be required to present a poster presentations on one of the topics discussed during the lectures and excursions.

Learning activities

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Additional requirements for this course:

The field excursion, the computer practical and the poster pitch presentation are mandatory components of the course. No alternative/resit options are available.

Assessment

Assignments

Discussion field excursion

• During the field excursion to will have a visit to the research institute “Forschungszentrum Jülich”, at Jülich, Germany and the research site Wustebach. At the institute we will get several presentations of researchers working at the site, whereas the following day we will visit the site. You (groups of 2 or 3 students) will be assigned to one of the topics of the presentations. After the presentation you are responsible to lead the discussion by asking questions yourself and inspiring other students to ask questions.

Poster presentation

• During the course you will follow several lectures on Biogeochemical Cycles. From these topics we will make a list. You have to pick a topic from that list and make a poster on that topic. In addition, you will also have to give a poster elevator pitch of 2 minutes. The grade for your poster will be based on the design of your poster (based on the criteria mentioned in the poster design tutorial) and your poster pitch. 

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

The student is required to have...

• Basis knowledge in soil and water chemistry
• Basic knowledge in soil science
• Basic knowledge in terrestrial ecology

A minimum of 10 participants is needed for the course.

Contact information

Coordinator

• A. Tietema

Staff

• dr. B. Jansen
• dr. A.M. Kooijman
• dr. W.E. Morriën
• J.R. Parsons
• prof. dr. W.P. de Voogt