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Bilag 2
Management of vulnerable ecosystems in a changing climate.
SUMMER SCHOOL
5-16 July 2010
University of Copenhagen
Course description
Climate change is simultaneously changes in temperature, precipitation and atmospheric CO2 concentration.
These are all factors, which are fundamental drivers of all chemical and biological processes, and they play a
central role in determining future structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems.
To counteract the negative effects of climate change it is necessary to enhance the robustness of vulnerable
ecosystems such as the semi-natural heathlands through target oriented and prioritize management. To
accomplish this there is a need to define and develop indicators that tell where change is happening, what the
changes are and what management measures may maintain the ecosystem stability. It is important that
indicators are found that are unequivocal and relatively simple to measure, facilitating the monitoring of terrestrial
ecosystems that are being developed in Europe in connection with the implementation of the EU Water
framework directive, the Natura 2000 network etc.
University of Copenhagen has long experience with effect studies of climate change on ecosystems in largescale field experiments using novel technology. In the course, we explore background and methodological
approaches to study climate change impacts on particularly shrublands/heathlands. The field facilities will
function as demonstration projects for effect studies during the summer school. Furthermore, we have access to
a large number of management trials initiated by researchers at the university. The aim will be to train PhD and
young post-doctoral students in interdisciplinary fields with relevance for climate change effects on ecosystems
and discuss scientific results. The summer school will bring scientists from fields that do not often meet together.
Target group
The target group of the course is PhD and post-doctoral students working with climate change responses in
terrestrial ecosystems and/or management of semi-natural ecosystems.
Course organizers
The course is a joint venture between Faculty of Life Science and Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen,
Denmark
Course elements:

Participant presentations - 10 minutes oral presentation of their PhD project

Written material (supplied by the course)

Plenary presentation by scientists and land managers

Field excursions to two large scale climate change experiments

Field excursions to a large number of management trials on coastal, inland heaths and grasslands
exposed to different management regimes (cutting, grazing regimes, fire and free succession)

Plenary discussions departing from the students’ Ph.D. project work

Hands on measurements of ecosystem components and processes

Course compilation of individual /group report in which students reflect on topics from the course, which
has relation to their own Ph.D. project.
Assessment details
Assessment will be base on student performance during the course and the final report
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Credits
The course will earn participating students at least 5.5 ETCS, which are accepted to a former and shorter
version of the program. We have extended the courses and have applied for 7.5 ETCS.
Participation fee:
Each participant is requested to pay a fee of EURO 650 and cover their own travel costs to Denmark. All
expensives are covered for in Denmark i.e. accommodation, local transportation, field trips, course material and
meals. We can offer up to three stipends to cover summer school fee reserved students with grants of limited
means.
Program outline
Monday
5 July 2010
Tuesday
6 July
Wednesday
7 July
Thursday
8 July
Topic
Arrival
Program and expectations
Introduction and overview
Introduction to Danish heathlands, geology and history
Contribution from
Approaches to study climate change
Claus Beier
Climate impact on processes and function – results from the CLIMAITE
experiment
Field trip to Climaite experiment www.climaite.dk
Presentation of experiment
IK Schmidt, and other
Research at the Climaite site and hands on demonstration of methodology
Climaite Phd’s
IK Schmidt and RM Buttenschøn
Torben Riis-Nielsen
Moving to Jutland (Mønsted Field station) 4-5 hours drive
Walk on Kongenshus Hede N-S
Torben Riis-Nielsen
Status of and objectives for conservation state of vulnerable heath and
grasslands
RM Buttenschøn
Introduction to coastal heaths and LIFE project
Ib Johnsen
Field trip to coastal heaths (Hulsig Hede) with demonstration of effects of
different conservation management methods on habitat qualities
(NATURA2000) and to LIFE-ASPEA-project www.hedepletvinge.dk.
Ib Johnsen, Torben Riis-Nielsen, Danish
Forest and Nature Agency, Vendsyssel,
RM Buttenschøn
Hands on measurement and demonstration of monitoring of conservation
status
Bjarke Huus
Introduction to project; Effects of and recovery after fire in coastal dunes and P. Vestergaard
heath
Friday
9 July
Field trip to coastal heaths (Thy National park) with demonstration of results P. Vestergaard, Ib Johnsen, Danish
of a large-scale coastal heaths restoration project and demonstration of
Forest and Nature Agency, Thy, RM
control methods of invasive plant species.
Buttenschøn
Suggestions for follow-up conservation management methods in coastal
heath (group-work)
Saturday
10 July
Field trip to nitrogen experiment site at Hjelm Hede
The history of heathlands in Denmark. Visit to Hjerl Hede’s Open-air
Museum and/or field trip to Trehøje Hede with demonstration of effect of
Torben Riis-Nielsen
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mechanical management on soil and vegetation structure.
Introduction: Heathland dynamic – results from about a hundred years study
of free succession on heathland ecosystem
IK Schmidt, Torben Riis-Nielsen
Trip to beach
Sunday
11 July
Moving to South Jutland (Dan-hostel)
Field trip to Nørholm Hede with demonstration of different outcome of
succession
IK Schmidt, Torben Riis-Nielsen
Dynamic or static objectives for conservation of Euopean heathlands
(Lectures and group work)
Monday
12 July
Counteracting airborne nitrogen loads in heathland ecosystem consequences for nutrient budgets and Molinia-Calluna competition
Werner Härtle,
Introduction: Molinia-Calluna competition an effects of different
management methods at Randbøl Heath
Hans-Jørgen Degn
( Field trip to Boris Hede )
Werner Härtle, Sally Power, HansJørgen Degn, RM Buttenschøn, Danish
Forest and Nature Agency,
Trekantsområdet
Field trip to Randbøl with demonstration of effects of different management
methods as control of Molina coerulea
Mowing to Eastern Jutland (Kalø)
Tuesday
13 July
Nitrogen deposition on heathland plant communities and nutrient cycling –
consequences for management (group work)
Sally Power
Introduction to Mols Bjerge National Park and the research
RM Buttenschøn
Field trip to Mols Bjerge National park with demonstration of effects of
large permanent grassland restoration project and results of long- term
research on grazing as management methods.
RM Buttenschøn, Danish Forest and
Nature Agency, Kronjylland, Natural
History Museum of Aarhus
Plenary discussions on conservation management of vulnerable ecosystems
Wednesday
14 July
Field trip to climate experiment site at Mols – long term effect of climate
change on soil and vegetation and their adaptation across Europe
End of field trip – social evening
Thursday
15 July
Mowing back to Zeeland
Friday
16 July
Presentation of individual and group reports
Course compilation of individual /group report
Course evaluation and perspectives
Contributors
External:
 Claus Beier, RISØ-DTU, The Technical University, Denmark
 Leonor Calvo, University of Leon, Spain
 Elena Marcos, University of Leon, Spain
 Sally Power, Imperial College, United Kingdom
 Werner Härdtle, University of Lüneburg, Germany
 Hans Jørgen Degn, Degns Consult, Denmark
IK Schmidt, Henning Petersen
Leonor Calvo, Elena Marcos
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
Bjarke Huus, Anne-Mette Knudsen and other conservation managers from Forest and Nature Agency,
district Vendsyssel, Thy, Trekantsområdet and Kronjylland
 Henning Pedersen, Natural History Museum, Århus, Denmark
Internal (Forest & Landscape Denmark, University of Copenhagen):
 Rita Buttenschøn
 Inger Kappel Schmidt
 Torben Riis-Nielsen
Internal (Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen):
 Ib Johnsen
 Peter Vestergård
Contact and registration:
Mail your name, institution, address, and name and address of supervisor(s) and a short abstract of your project
including title, objectives, research questions and methods and how far you are in the project (e.g. just started,
before data collection, write-up phase). Forward this information by e-mail to Rita Buttenschøn, [email protected]
no later than May 15, 2010. There will be a maximum participation number of 20.
For further informations, please contact
Rita Buttenschøn [email protected]
Inger Kappel Schmidt [email protected]
Forest and Landscape Denmark.
Division of Forest and Landscape Ecology.
Faculty of Life Sciences.
University of Copenhagen.
The PhD course is supported by the research school REFOLANA at University of Copenhagen, University of
Copenhagen with the project Management of vulnerable ecosystems in a changing climate.
summer school and by EU FP7-project INCREASE An Integrated Network on Climate Research Activities on
Shrubland Ecosystems.
.