Arctic Ecosystems

The course provides extended knowledge of processes across arctic and subarctic terrestrial ecosystems. It provides understanding of how ecosystem processes are regulated by abiotic and biotic factors, such as nutrient availability, the arctic climate and plant-soil-organism interactions. Particular focus will be on potential impacts of changes in climate on ecosystem processes and on feedback mechanisms from arctic ecosystems to the climate system. The course provides an overview of how controls and impacts on ecosystem processes depend on temporal and spatial scales. Being in and experiencing the arctic environment and its ecosystems is an essential part of the course, and excursions to various ecosystems are included. The course is given by researchers at the Climate Impacts Research Centre in Abisko and has a strong connection to on-going research. Costs for round trip Abisko and accommodation in Abisko are the responsibility of the student. Module 1. Theoretical part, 7.5 ECTS credits. This part consists of lectures, seminars and excursions to provide in-depth knowledge and understanding of ecological processes in arctic and subarctic terrestrial environments. Ecological questions are approached from the process through the landscape level and over different time-scales. The impacts of climate change on arctic and subarctic ecosystems and their potential feedbacks are discussed. Module 2. Project work, 7.5 ECTS credits. This part consists of an extended experimental study of abiotic and biotic processes in an arctic-subarctic terrestrial ecosystem to provide hands-on experience in arctic ecological research. The study is part of long-term field experiments and will be conducted in small groups and consist of a full scientific research cycle, including hypotheses testing based on published literature, planning, field work, analysis of data, and report writing. The hypotheses will be tested and the results will be presented as a written scientific report and at a seminar.