300608 PP Practical Course in Fen Ecology: Mosses and Demids as Indicators for Fen Classification (2008S)

The course consists of excursions, hands-on-training and a seminary. Students will learn the conceptual base of ecological studies at natural habitats, exemplified through the biology of peatlands. After a theoretical introduction, students become familiar with the algal and moss flora and learn to determine important indicator species. In order to classify the abiotic environment, they are introduced into basic techniques of water chemistry. After data acquisition in selected Austrian fens, students will correlate the spatial distribution of their plant collections with their chemical analyses. Thus, they identify fens as the connecting link between aquatic and terrestric habitats and acquire a general understanding of the fundamental interactions between the living biocoenosis and its abiotic environment.