TEMPUS Programme Problem oriented Ecology and Biodiversity Module B Forest Ecology Saint Petersburg State University Faculty of Biology and Soil Sciences

FOREST ECOLOGY Participants: Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology (*) Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry (#) Department of Soil Sciences (**) Department of Agrochemistry

FOREST ECOLOGY Total: 30 credits (Including: Cultural Biotopes and Agroecology – 2 cr.) Rest: 28 credits 22 cr. (lectures and seminars) + 6 cr. (field practice) Addition: 5 cr. (summer practice for thesis materials collection)

FOREST ECOLOGY Auditorium: 2 years (22 cr.; 11 cr. per year) ~ 330 hours : 30 weeks ~ 11 h. per week ~ 330 hours : 30 weeks ~ 11 h. per weekField: 1 summer (6 cr.+ 5 cr.) ~ 330 hours : 8 weeks ~ 41 h. per week 1 credit ~ 30 hours (or 15 lectures)

FOREST ECOLOGY Who will be graduated from our Masters Programme?

FOREST ECOLOGY First step: Test in Vegetation Science and Chemistry for entering students

1 year, the first semester 6 cr. (180 h.)

1. FOREST ECOSYSTEMS (Introduction into the Problems)* – 1 cr. (30 h.) Lectures, consultations, essay 2. FOREST ENVIRONMENT – 2 cr. (60 h.) Soils (**); Microclimate (*); Hydrology(**) Lectures, seminars, practice 3. ECOLOGICAL PLANT PHYSIOLOGY (#) – 3 cr. (90 h.) Lectures, seminars, practice

FOREST ECOSYSTEMS General characteristics of forests General characteristics of forests Role of forest in the Biosphere Role of forest in the Biosphere Influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on forest ecosystem organization Influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on forest ecosystem organization Main trends in contemporary forest dynamics Main trends in contemporary forest dynamics

FOREST ENVIRONMENT Forest soil, microclimate, and hydrology Forest soil, microclimate, and hydrology Main methods of soil analyses Main methods of soil analyses Training in work with equipment for hydrology, microclimate, and soil study Training in work with equipment for hydrology, microclimate, and soil study

ECOLOGICAL PLANT PHYSIOLOGY Environmental limitation to plant distributions. Plants adaptation Environmental limitation to plant distributions. Plants adaptation Influence of environment on photosynthesis, respiration, and utilization of mineral elements Influence of environment on photosynthesis, respiration, and utilization of mineral elements Stress concept. Stress signal perception and transduction. Control of plant resistance by genetic engineering Stress concept. Stress signal perception and transduction. Control of plant resistance by genetic engineering Mechanisms of surviving different abiotic stresses. Mechanism of adaptation to anthropogenic pollution. Surviving radioactivity Mechanisms of surviving different abiotic stresses. Mechanism of adaptation to anthropogenic pollution. Surviving radioactivity Plant responses to biotic interactions. Hypersensitivity reaction. Systemic plant defense responses. Surviving predation. Secondary metabolites and plant defense. Allelopathy Plant responses to biotic interactions. Hypersensitivity reaction. Systemic plant defense responses. Surviving predation. Secondary metabolites and plant defense. Allelopathy

1 year, the second semester 5 cr. (150 h.)

1. FOREST PLANTS INTERRACTIONS (*) – 4 cr. (120 h.) Lectures, seminars, essay 2. FOREST MONITORING (*) – 1 cr. (30 h.) Practice, lectures

FOREST PLANTS INTERRACTIONS Diversity of forest plants interrelations types Diversity of forest plants interrelations types Plants influence on the other organisms Plants influence on the other organisms Species-specific transformation of environment Species-specific transformation of environment Role of different interrelations in forest dynamics Role of different interrelations in forest dynamics Ecological groups of forest plants, and their anatomical and morphological adaptation to forest biotopes Ecological groups of forest plants, and their anatomical and morphological adaptation to forest biotopes Estimation of forest biotopes parameters via vegetation Estimation of forest biotopes parameters via vegetation

FOREST MONITORING Goals and methods of forest monitoring Goals and methods of forest monitoring Different scales of forest monitoring Different scales of forest monitoring Interpretation of results of long-term observations in forest ecosystems Interpretation of results of long-term observations in forest ecosystems Training in monitoring results interpretation Training in monitoring results interpretation

SUMMER FIELD PRACTICE PLANT ECOPHYSIOLOGY, PLANT ECOPHYSIOLOGY, FOREST PLANTS INTERRACTIONS et al. FOREST PLANTS INTERRACTIONS et al. (4 cr.:*,**, and 2 cr.: #) = 6 cr. COLLECTION of MATHERIALS for THESIS - 5 cr. COLLECTION of MATHERIALS for THESIS - 5 cr.

2 year, the first semester 8 cr. (240 h.)

1. FOREST PLANT COMMUNITY: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY (*) – 2 cr. (60 h.) Lectures, seminars 2. NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC FOREST DYNAMICS (*) – 2 cr. (60 h.) Lectures, seminars, essay 3. FOREST BIOGEOCHEMISTRY (#) – 2 cr. (60 h.) Lectures, practice 4. GIS TECHNOLOGY (*) – 1 cr. (30 h.) Practice, lectures 5. ECOGRAPHY AND HABITATS FRAGMENTATION (*?) – 1 cr. (30 h.) Lectures, seminars

FOREST PLANT COMMUNITY: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY Species diversity, structure, function, and dynamics of forests Species diversity, structure, function, and dynamics of forests System of plants interrelations in forest community System of plants interrelations in forest community Life-strategy of forest plants Life-strategy of forest plants Structure of plant populations in different environmental conditions Structure of plant populations in different environmental conditions Forest plant species populations sustainability Forest plant species populations sustainability Factors of change in forest species interrelation system Factors of change in forest species interrelation system Self-regulation of forest ecosystem and its sustainability Self-regulation of forest ecosystem and its sustainability

NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC FOREST DYNAMICS Seasonal dynamics and fluctuations of forest communities Seasonal dynamics and fluctuations of forest communities Forest successions Forest successions Effect of climate change on global and regional transformation of forests Effect of climate change on global and regional transformation of forests Forest ecosystems change under human activity Forest ecosystems change under human activity Afforestation and reforestation in different conditions Afforestation and reforestation in different conditions

FOREST BIOGEOCHEMISTRY Main factors affecting productivity and chemical elements content in plants in forest ecosystems Main factors affecting productivity and chemical elements content in plants in forest ecosystems Biogeochemical cycling of macro- and micronutrients in plant communities from different geographycal zones and landscapes Biogeochemical cycling of macro- and micronutrients in plant communities from different geographycal zones and landscapes Mineral nutrition and plant biogeochemistry within diverse taxa Mineral nutrition and plant biogeochemistry within diverse taxa Heavy metals and biogeochemical phyto-indication in forest ecosystems Heavy metals and biogeochemical phyto-indication in forest ecosystems

GIS TECHNOLOGY Theory of Geographic Information System Theory of Geographic Information System Training in GIS - methods Training in GIS - methods

ECOGRAPHY AND HABITATS FRAGMENTATION Effect of the area dimension on the forest ecosystem parameters Effect of the area dimension on the forest ecosystem parameters Forest ecosystem sustainability and plant populations maintenance in small areas Forest ecosystem sustainability and plant populations maintenance in small areas

2 year, the second semester 3 cr. (90 h.)

1. FOREST GEOGRAPHY OF NORTHERN EURASIA (*) – 2 cr. (60 h.) 1. FOREST GEOGRAPHY OF NORTHERN EURASIA (*) – 2 cr. (60 h.) Lectures Lectures 2. NON-INDUSTRIAL FOREST RESOURCES (*) 2. NON-INDUSTRIAL FOREST RESOURCES (*) – 1 cr. (30 h.) – 1 cr. (30 h.)

FOREST GEOGRAPHY OF NORTHERN EURASIA Distribution of main types of forest in the Temperate Belt of Eurasia Distribution of main types of forest in the Temperate Belt of Eurasia Division of forest lands into geobotanical areas Division of forest lands into geobotanical areas Zones and provinces of forest vegetation Zones and provinces of forest vegetation

NON-INDUSTRIAL FOREST RESOURCES Forest plants as officinal and food resources, their conservation, resumption, and reserve assessment Forest plants as officinal and food resources, their conservation, resumption, and reserve assessment Recreation in forests Recreation in forests Aesthetic value of forests Aesthetic value of forests Scientific value of forest ecosystems Scientific value of forest ecosystems

Forest Ecology Who could be interested in our Masters Programme? (Potential students)

Forest Ecology - team Thank you for your attention !