BOVA Master Course
Monitoring tree reaction to environment: tools and their application in forest
14-18 June, 2015
Course venue: Latvia University of Agriculture, Jelgava, Latvia
4.5 ECTS
Course description:Availability and quality of products and services we obtain from forests or urban trees can be notably
affected by changes of environmental conditions. In order to adapt to changing world, we need maximum information on
tree response to environmental parameters, which can be used to identify critical conditions affecting growth and vitality.
Thus, having such knowledge allows us to develop sound recommendations in order to reduce the negative impact.
The main objective of course is to demonstrate the research methods of different fields that can be used for studies of
tree response in order to enhance competence about diversity of tree-climate interactions. Aspects of monitoring tree
adaptation to environmental changes to be covered:
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tree genetics and seasonality of growth;
natural disturbances in hemiboreal forests;
mitigation of climate change impact on forestry;
treewater balance and ecophysiology.
Content:Course will have a distance learning part, where students will
be provided with a literature covering the subject and specific cases.
The cases will be discussed (in groups among students and in
summarizing discussion with teachers) during the face-to-face meeting
phase.
In field students will have also short practical tasks.
Additionally, short questioners will, be used at the end of every day to assess the progress of the students and shape the
lectures in a way to ensure the desired outcome of the course.
Target audience: Maximum 12 master or PhD students with general background in the fields of forestry, biology and
arboculture. Good English skills are required.
For refunding of travelling expenses (to and from Latvia) and accommodation please contact your home institution
(NORDPLUS scholarships might be available).
Teaching team includes lecturers from Estonian University of Life Sciences, AleksandrasStulginskis University, Latvia
University of Agriculture and Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” as well as ICT International (Australia),
INIAV (Portugal) and Mendel University in Brno.
Course leader: Aris Jansons, Dr.silv. doc., senior researcher
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +371 29109529
University contact person: Daiga Unferihta – [email protected] +371 29780188
Information for registration:Fill in the BOVA Mobility Registration or contact the university contact person
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/158sKM2K5toxz-lnGRN0E_em6ae17N9dottpyhWwdb7E/viewform
Preliminary program of face-to-face meeting part of the course
Sunday, 14th of June – arrival to Latvia, LLU
Monday, 15th of June
9:00-11:00 Course introduction (climatic changes and forest adaptation: brief description), discussions on the basic
literature, mini-presentations, prepared by students (all teachers)
11:00-11:15 coffee break
11:15 – 12:15 Genetically determined differences in phenology and frost hardiness of coniferous trees: methods of
assessment and results I (Darius Danusevicius)
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30–14:30Genetically determined differences in phenology and frost hardiness of coniferous trees: methods of
assessment and results II (Darius Danusevicius)
14:30 – 15:30 Role of molecular genetics in understanding the adaptation: case studies (Krista Kanberga-Silina)
15:30-16:15 coffee break
16:15-17:30 finalizing mini-presentations, prepared by students (all teachers)
Tuesday, 16thofJune – fieldtrials
8:30-9:00 drive to experimental area
9:00-10:00 development of tree height increment – assessment and genetic differences (ArisJansons, Baiba Dzerina)
10:00-11:00 forest fire regime and its consequences: past and future (Mara Zadina, ArisJansons)
11:15-11:30 coffee in forest
11:30-12:10 drive to trials
12:20-13:00 Lunch in forest
13:00-14:30 plus-trees selection and seed orchards in context of climatic changes (ArisJansons, Baiba Dzerina)
14:30-15:10 drive to trials
15:10-15:30 coffee in forest
15:30-17:30 introduced tree species and provenances: models vs. field test results (ArisJansons, Baiba Dzerina); link
between quantitative and molecular genetics in studies of commercially important traits (Krista Kanberga-Silina)
17:30-18:20 drive to Jelgava
Wednesday,17th of June
08:00 – 09:00 Drive to Riga
09:00 - 09:30 Introduction in sap-flow (Edgars Neilands& Alec Downey)
09:30 - 11:00 Forest disturbances and ecosystem management in the hemiboreal zone (KalevJogiste)
11:00 - 11:15 coffee break
11:15 - 12:45 UsingRadialSapFlowProfiles to mapTreerootsystems (Jan Čermak)
12:45 - 13:45 Lunch
13:45 - 15:15 Installationandmaintenanceofthe HFD8 and SFM1 SapFlowMeters (AlecDowney)
15:15 - 15:30 coffee break
15:30 - 16:15 Measuring sap flow in plant stems using thermal methods (Clara A. Pinto)
16:15–17:00Using the HFD method to disclose the water pathways in the xylem of a cork oak tree (Clara A. Pinto)
17:00–17:15 coffee break
17:15–18:45Scaling from single-point sap velocity measurements to stand transpiration in a mono and multi-species
deciduous forest: uncertainty sources, stand structure effect and future scenarios applications (Virginia HernándezSantana)
18:45 – 19:45 drive to Jelgava
Thursday,18thof June
Hands-on experience with the devices used in monitoring (soil-stem-roots-air): in research forests (all teachers)
Friday, 19th of June
8:30 - 9:30 forest fire - causes and prediction (Janis Donis, Mara Zadina, ArisJansons)
9:30 - 10:30 storms: their predictions, impact and possibilities of adaptation I (Janis Donis)
10:30 - 10:45coffee break
10:45-12:10 storms: their predictions, impact and possibilities of adaptation II (Janis. Donis)
12:15-13:00 Lunch
13:00-14:00 Seasonality of tree growth (Roberts Matisons)
14:00-15:00 progeny trials: genetics and silviculture – interaction to enhance adaptation (Baiba Dzerina, Krista KanbergaSilina, ArisJansons)
15:00-15:15 coffee break
15:15-17:00 history and predictions of insect damages (Ingars Silins)