SKOG200 Forest Biology, Ecology and Production

The course gives the student basic knowledge about the biology of trees and the ecology of forests. The student will also learn to use tools to describe the growth of individual trees as well as forest stands. The course is dividied into the following themes

1. Ecophysiology of forests: growth dynamics, climateic adaptions, dormancy, frost hardiness, leaf area, life cycles, carbon allocation and -storage, reproduction, hormones and chemical defence

2. Biogeochemistry: the most important nutrient cycles in plants and in and between ecosystems. Effects on these by human disturbance, included forestry

3. Dynamics of natural forests: the roles of the different tree species in the succession, natural and anthropogenic disturbances

4. Forest production: development of single trees and forest stands, estimation of production potential, effects of choice of tree species, growing conditions and silviculture on development of single trees and forest stands

5. Forest models: excercise in describing the growth of single trees with the help of statistical models, based on data sampling from a real forest

After ended course the candidates should have achieved the following goals:

Knowlegde

A good basic knowlegde of: basic forest production ecology and -physiology, the forest as an ecosystem, the dymanics of natural forests and forest production.

Skills

The student should be able to describe the growth of single trees by the use of statistical models

General competence

The student should have a basis for understanding and judgement of silvicultural actions. The course should also provide a platform for assessing the effects of climate change amendments and of forest conservation, as well as a basis for the understanding of wood technology.