The course aims at promoting a profound understanding of the factors that govern subsurface exchange at shallow coasts as well as at understanding the basics of peatland ecology. This is build upon an introduction to hydrology with an emphasis on peatland hydrology and associated methods of hydrological and hydrogeochemical modelling and an introduction to peatland ecology and peatland biogeochemistry accompanied by field excursions and courses introducing field investigation methods.
13 PhD Students and 5 lecturers join the the course and benefit from the collaboration with researchers at research stations in Hyytiälä and Tvärminne, University of Helsinki.
Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station is an active field center of multidisclipinary research on forests, peatlands and atmosphere. A central topic is the role of forests and peatlands in climate change, which is a complex issue as the forests and peatlands act both as a source and a sink of greenhouse-gases, and are also gradually becoming a more important source of bioenergy for the society. Hyytiälä belongs to the municipality of Juupajoki and is located about 210 km N-NW from Helsinki and 60 km NE from Tampere.
Tvärminne Zoological Station is a marine station located at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. It serves as a centre for a large variety of high quality biological research, carries out environmental monitoring, and offers facilities for field courses and seminars. TZS has an over a century long history of scientific research, with emphasis on the brackish waters of the Gulf of Finland. The station was established in 1902 and thus provides good background data for studying long-term environmental change.