Introduction to Environmental Biophysics

Kurs/utbildning

PhD course in Environmental Biophysics 3 hp. The course is based on textbook Campbell GC & Norman JM. (2000). Introduction to Environmental Biophysics. Springer.

Rationale
Research in ecophysiology and biogeochemistry is becoming increasingly quantitative. This means that methods to asses fluxes of e.g. radiation, CO2, water vapour, heat, biogenic VOCs and air pollutants (including greenhouse gases) is becoming more important, as well as quantitative characterisation of the state of different (micro)environments with respect to temperature, humidity in air and soil, radiation, wind and concentrations of different compounds. Furthermore, the interception of light in plants/canopies, depending on chlorophyll and other pigments, as well as the magnitude and distribution of leaf area are crucial to understand ecosystem function. There has developed an area of theory and methods called "envrionmental biophysics", which covers these issues.

Content and learning outcomes
This course is largely based on the book "An Introduction to Environmental Biophysics" by GS Campbell and JM Norman. In addition, a number of relevant aspects not covered by book are included in the course, such as pedometrics, sap flow, the response of plants to different qualities of light and scaling issues. Also, practical exercise in terms of measurements of temperature and relative humidity (including evaluating the importance of proper radiation protection), leaf temperature, leaf boundary layer conductance and non-destructive chlorophyll measurements (SPAD) will be included. Finally, calculation exercise, based on some of the problems included in the book and further problems prepared by the teachers, is an essential element of the course. Solutions to a number of these problems have to be submitted to pass the course.

After the course the students should:
* Have a good understanding of the basics of environmental biophysics, including temperatures, wind, heat and mass transport, water and radiation
* Be able to use a number of measurement techniques related to environmental biophysics.
* Be able to solve quantitative problems within the field of environmental biophysics.

If possible, all students should bring laptop computers for the calculations exercise.

Maximum number of participants: 25

Apply for participation no later than 10 April

Please contact Håkan Pleijel if you have any questions.