Praktikum Plant Ecophysiology Research at the Plant Environment Interface

Plant ecophysiology deals with the interaction of plants with their abiotic and biotic environment (e.g. drought, global change, plant-plant competition). This course gives an introduction to actual research questions and hot topics in this ecological discipline. Students will be introduced to key methods and actual research projects of the lab at various field sites. Central part of this course is developing and perusing own research ideas by the participants and implementing them within the framework of the research done in the lab. Practical field work is typically performed at one of the field stations nearby the university campus in Freising-Weihenstephan. Most teachers are researchers of the various lab projects (i.e. PhD students, Post docs, research associates). First Week: Research topics in plant ecophysiology Theoretical and practical introduction to various research projects of the lab. Each day is dedicated to a specific research project.Morning sessions: Lectures on methods and research projects, literature discussionsAfternoon sessions: Visiting of research projects in the field Second Week: Student’s research questions Setting students’ research questions into action in the framework of a research project of the lab (as introduced during the first week). Groups of 2-3 students per research project.Develop research hypothesis, establish and use of various methods, taking samples, making measurements,... Third Week: Data evaluation and project presentations Evaluation of data, writing paper on student’s research in projects and final presentation of research done. Department Biologie I LMU München SoSe 2015 Prof. Dr. Matyssek Rainer