Course on effects of afforestation on carbon balance and biodiversity
The main goal of the course "Effects of afforestation on carbon balance and biodiversity" is to increase the knowledge of the effects of afforestation (when a treeless landscape is planted with trees) at high latitudes on both ecology and carbon dynamics. The scope will be both on aboveground and soil processes, fauna and flora. Special emphasis will be on changes in carbon fluxes to and from the ecosystem.
The course which will consist of three main parts;
1) A literature study the students will have to do before coming to Iceland;
2) Participation in an open international workshop in Reykjavik that will concentrate on the same topic as the course;
3) A course in eastern Iceland that will consist of both fieldwork and lectures.
Much emphasis will be made to create discussions between the students and the highly qualified researchers about different topics of the course. The course gives three credits in the Swedish university system.
The course will mainly take place at Hallormsstadur, about 15 km south of the Egilsstadir-village in East Iceland. We have hired one of Iceland's oldest boarding schools to house the course, a place full of history, tradition and one or two local ghosts…