Upon completion of the course, students should

•     Know the basic concept of numerical modeling and the PALM model
•     Know sources of input data for the model
•     Be able to process the input data for modeling
•     Perform simple urban climate modeling
•     Be able to evaluate the model results

The course provides an introduction to urban climate modeling using the PALM model. The focus of the course is on the basic concept of the model, the acquisition and processing of the input data for the modeling, and the evaluation of the results.

The seminar includes lecture blocks for the theoretical concepts and exercise blocks for the practical application such as the preparation of input data and the evaluation of results.

Maronga, B. et al. 2020: Overview of the PALM model system 6.0, Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 1335–1372, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1335-2020

Resler, J. et al. 2021: Validation of the PALM model system 6.0 in a real urban environment: a case study in Dejvice, Prague, the Czech Republic, Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 4797–4842, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4797-2021

Heldens, W. et al. 2020: Geospatial input data for the PALM model system 6.0: model requirements, data sources and processing, Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 5833–5873, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-5833-2020

The aim is to develop research questions and hypotheses on a soil-related topic that can be addressed with simple laboratory experiments and data analysis.

Biochar has been discussed for some years as a possibility for improving soil fertility and for long-term C fixation in soils. However, there are always contradictory results on the measurable effects on soil chemical, soil biological and soil physical parameters. Experiments are to be designed and carried out on this topic.

After a short introduction to the topic and the provision of introductory literature, the students develop questions and corresponding concepts for laboratory experiments. These are presented and discussed in detail in order to subsequently carry out the experiments independently. The subsequent statistical and content-related data evaluation is closely supervised and the results are finally presented in the form of posters.

Johannes Lehmann (2007): A handful of carbon. Nature 447, 143-144.

Understanding and application of selected multivariate statistical methods; independent analysis and interpretation of ecological data sets; learning how to select suitable methods and knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses

How are species communities structured and what factors determine their characteristics and diversity? Multivariate analysis methods help us to understand large ecological data sets and understand the underlying processes. Methods such as principal component analysis show which species communities are similar and which differ in their composition. In addition, such methods can reveal the underlying environmental and utilization gradients and explain patterns in species diversity.

In the seminar we will learn from an application perspective how floristic and/or faunistic data sets can be analysed and visualized using multivariate statistical methods. Such methods are indispensable when complex vegetation-ecological data sets are to be analyzed. The course focuses on the application and understanding of the analyses and how we can interpret them ecologically. In particular, vegetation-ecological data sets are analyzed (independently), whereby the transfer of what has been learned to faunistic and also abiotic surveys is easily possible.

Alternating between input from the lecturer and own work on the computer with selected statistical programs; concluding with an independent analysis of a data set (term paper)

Will be announced in the seminar.

Acquire knowledge in the field of soil hydrology and gain initial simulation experience. 

In the seminar, the basics of soil hydrology, in particular the flow of water and matter in the unsaturated zone, are developed. Computer simulations are carried out to illustrate the theory and the results are discussed together.

The block course comprises half lectures and half computer exercises

Literature as well as manuals for the software used are provided digitally