Biology: Soil and Plant Ecology

Below the soil surface, there is a greater diversity of organisms than in any other part of the planet’s ecosystems, yet these are the organisms we know least about. In this course, you will learn how climate and soil formation interacts to create productive ecosystems. We will explore how plant productivity is affected by and responds to environmental and climate change, with a particular focus on how decomposer microbes in the soil act as recycling systems, thereby driving carbon and nutrient cycles. The interaction and exchange between plants (which need nutrients) and soil organisms (which need carbon) form the foundation of all terrestrial ecosystems, from agricultural land to tropical forests. Your studies will be at the frontier of the unknown, and we will approach current research. We will make inroads into conservation ecology, agricultural and forestry ecology, and climate change ecology. You will use modern research methods to evaluate ecological theory in soil ecological systems and answer a number of questions: How does the diversity of soil organisms affect different ecosystem processes? What do environmental and climate changes mean for the interaction between plants and other organisms in the soil? What consequences can this have for the planet's biogeochemical cycles?

You will be introduced to soil and plant ecology through "flipped classroom" teaching, where basic theory is covered in question-led seminars with substantial teacher availability. We will then deepen the theory with lectures that guide you through the latest discoveries on how soil organisms respond to environmental and climate changes, as well as how carbon and nutrient cycles are regulated by soil ecology. During field excursions, you will discover how land use impacts plant communities. You will learn to design and sample soil, and describe and understand the ecological processes occurring there. Soil samples taken during the excursions will be analyzed in the laboratory for soil chemistry, microorganisms, microbial processes, and soil fauna. We will use your data to evaluate ecological theory on how ecosystem productivity is regulated by the interaction between plants and decomposer food webs beneath the soil. You will also critically evaluate scientific literature and write a review article on a research question you define yourself. In short, you will be trained through varied teaching methods to independently carry out projects in soil and plant ecology. You will define and answer advanced research questions based on both scientific literature and your own findings.

Prerequisites

For admission to the course, 105 credits of studies in natural sciences are required including knowledge equivalent to BIOC13 Ecology 15 credits, or NGEA04 Ecosystem analysis 15 credits. English 6/B

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 46,250
First payment: SEK 46,250

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.