Ecophysiological and global change models

To know the main ecophysiological methods for the study of forest ecosystem behavior to face climate change

To achieve the main capabilities to understand the response of forest across time, as well as their potential future behavior

Characterization of basic parameters: interception of solar radiation and rainfall, leaf are index, specific leaf area, isotopic discrimination, biomass distribution, gross and net primary production

Dendrochronology: anatomical basics, crossdating and building of tree-ring chronologies. Dendroclimatology: climate reconstruction and study of global change. Other applications of dendrochronology.

These contents will be explained according to the following syllabus.

EXPOSITORY ACTIVITIES
Introduction to Plant Ecophysiology. Plant environment. Solar radiation. Plant microclimate.
Carbon use and organic matter production. Cell carbon metabolism. Gas exchange in plants. Carbon budget in plants and forest stands. Energy conversion. Atmospheric CO2 enrichment.
Water relations. Water in plant cells. Water relations in a plant as a whole. Water relations for different plant types. Water relations in plant communities.
Characterization of morphological and anatomical traits of functional relevance: quantification and ecological meaning. Tree rings. Seasonal wood formation. Techniques for the study and modeling of cambial activity.
Tree-ring analysis for global change studies. Dendrochronology: concept and biological principles. Tree responses to climate and other environmental factors. Annual and intra-annual growth variables.
Tree-ring dating: the principle of crossdating. Tree-ring chronology building: standardization and quality assessment. Identification of signals of interest.
Applications of dendrochronological techniques. Climate reconstruction. Assessment of forest dynamics through time. Other applications of dendrochronology.

INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES
Analysis of photosynthetic pigments
Assessment of leaf area index and specific leaf area
Solving of ecophysiological problems
Tree-ring chronology building
Tree-ring modeling for the study of climate and forest dynamics
Presentation of a practical report

General texts

Lambers, H., Chapin III, F.S. & Pons, T.L. (2008). Plant physiological ecology, 2nd edition, Springer, New York, 604 pp.
Landsberg, J., Sands, P. (2011). Physiological ecology of forest production: principles, processes and models . Academic Press, London.
Larcher, W. (1977). Ecofisiología vegetal. Omega, Barcelona, 305 pp.
Larcher, W. (1995). Physiological plant ecology: ecophysiology and stress physiology of funtional groups, 3rd edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 506 pp.
Fritts, H.C. (2001). Tree rings and climate. Blackburn Press, 2nd edition. Caldwell, New Jersey. 567 pp.
Schweingruber, F.H. (1996). Tree rings and environment. Dendroecology. Paul Haupt, Berne, 609 pp.
Schweingruber, F.H., Börner, A. & Schulze, E.D. (2006). Atlas of woody plant stems. Evolution, structure, and environmental modifications. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg, 229 pp.
Speer, J.H. (2010). Fundamentals of tree-ring research. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson. 368 pp.


Complementary texts

Fitter, A.H., Hay, R.K.M. (2002). Environmental physiology of plants.3rd ed. Academic Press, San Diego, 367 pp.
Kozlowski, T.T., Kramer, P.J. & Pallardy, S.G. (1991). The physiological ecology of woody plants, Academic Press, San Diego, 657 pp.
Landsberg, J.J. & Gower, S.T. (1997). Applications of physiological ecology to forest management, Academic Press, San Diego. 354 pp.
Nobel, P.S. (2009). Physicochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology. 4th ed. Academic Press, 582 pp.
Schweingruber, F.H. (2012). Trees and wood in dendrochronology. Morphological, anatomical, and tree-ring analytical characteristics of trees frequently used in dendrochronology. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg, 409 pp.
Vaganov, E.A., Hughes, M.K. & Shashkin, A.V. (2006). Growth dynamics of conifer tree rings. Images of past and future environments. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg, 354 pp.

Electronic resources will be available along the course.

Students will achieve generic and specific abilities related to the Master’s Degree. Within the framework of competences designed, this subject will involve the following:

BASIC, GENERAL, AND TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES
CB6. To gain and understand knowledge that will let reinforce students with fundamentals to be original in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
CB7. To let students learn how to apply their knowledge and troubleshooting abilities for new new or unfamiliar environments within wider (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their study field.
CB10. To provide students with learning skills that let them keep on studying in a self-sufficient way
CT1 Capability for analysis and synthesis.
CT2. Capability for logical reasoning and argumentation.
CT4. Capability for team work, and collectively facing troublesome situations
T5. Capability to obtain diverse, adequate, and up-to-date information.
CT12. Capability to solve problems by integrative application of knowledge.

SPECIFIC COMPETENCES
CE47. To gain knowledge on the effects of global warming upon individual trees and forests. To show the main factors affecting growth variation and species distribution, and to identify the most sensitive anatomical variables, so that students will be able to interpret past events, and to use this information for the future management of forests/ecosystems.

Expository lessons will be used to explain the main theoretical concepts (CE47), by means of master classes, supported by presentation or other electronic resources (CB6, CB7, CT5). Practices will be used to teach the main lab techniques for ecophysiological and dendrochronological studies, as well as statistic and computer tools for the application of some of the study models (CB6, CB7, CT1, CT4, CT12). Students will be required to work on the results obtained during the practices, to apply the theoretical concepts taught, and to compile a report (individual or in groups) of the work carried out (CB6, CB7, CB10, CT1, CT2, CT4, CT12).

The information provided during the lectures will be available in the Online Campus, together with complementary information of interest not detailed in the lessons (CE47, CB6, CT5). Activity schedule and qualification will also be available online, as well as any other incidence of interest.

Student’s attendance and active participation will also be assessed.

Attendance and active participation in contact activities (10%). Competences CT1, CT2 e CE47

Written tests (60%). Competences CB6, CB7, CB10, CT1, CT2, CT12 e CE47

Elaboration and/or presentation of student’s reports (30%). Competences CB6, CT1, CT2, CT4, CT5, CT12 e CE47

Passing written test is a requirement for the whole subject.

Waiver for attendance, only in justified cases, will be just given for expository activities. In such cases, their evaluation will be provided by the final exam, which will account for 65% of the final qualification. Interactive activities will be assessed in the same way as the rest of the students, whereas attendance and active participation will only refer to these activities.

For the second opportunity, students must deliver pending tasks, and pass the final tests, in the same way as for the first opportunity.

Students who passed interactive activities the subject in a previous academic year will keep their qualifications.

In the case of fraudulent tests or exercises, the present regulation at the USC for academic assessment and qualifications will be applied.

Time required for study and individual work can be highly variable according to student’s abilities. As a rule, one contact hour will require 2-3 hours of study time and individual work.

We highly recommend to regularly work on the subject, and use the recommend literature, at least the basic one, as well as the proposed electronic resources, especially the Online Campus (USC Virtual). The attendance to office hours for doubt clearance is highly advisable.