Teaching
Our research group is responsible for teaching a variety of courses related to biogeochemical interactions between the Geosphere and the Biosphere. We teach the innovative research methods to study these interactions.
The following is a list of courses taught by different members of our research group:
B.Sc. courses
Biologie für Geowissenschaftler (DE)
Das Modul ist für B.Sc. Geowissenschaften, B.Sc. Umweltnaturwissenschaften geignet.
Das Modul dient als Grundlage für weiterführende Veranstaltungen im Bereich Biologie / Paläontologie.
Studierende verstehen die Grundlagen der biologischen Systematik und sind in der Lage Organismen den unterschiedlichen Klassen zuzuordnen. Sie verfügen über die grundlegenden Informationen zum Aufbau lebender Organismen und deren Diversität und sammeln erste praktische Erfahrungen bei der Beobachtung und Interpretation von biologischen Strukturen.
Das Modul umfasst:
Die Prinzipien der biologischen Klassifikation und Systematik,
Bau und Entwicklung der Eukaryonten einschließlich Einzeller, Tiere und Pflanzen, mit Betonung auf geologisch bedeutenden Gruppen und Prozessen wie z.B. Biomineralisation
einem praktischen Teil für Geowissenschaftler in dem die Interpretation von biologischen Strukturen anhand ausgewählter Präparate geübt wird und für Umweltnaturwissenschaftler in dem die Interaktion von Organismen mit ihrer Umwelt an natürlichen Proben untersucht wird
M.Sc. courses
Geosphere-Biosphere Interactions (EN)
The module is compulsory for M.Sc. Geoökologie/Geoecology. It introduces the processes at biogeochemical interfaces including an understanding on feedback mechanisms of bio-geosphere interactions.
The course will focus on biogeochemical interactions between the Geosphere and the Biosphere and will start with an introduction into the biogeochemical cycles (C, N, P, S, Fe, water). Thereafter, key interactions at bio-geochemical interfaces will be analyzed process-based regarding their impact on and feedbacks between bio- and geosphere. These processes include weathering and multidirectional fluxes by plant roots (rhizosphere processes), lichens and biofilms, bioturbation by animals, erosion (and its prevention by living organisms), and many more.
Field Course on Geo-Bio-Interactions in tropical landscapes of Kenya (EN)
Field course is an elective Module for M.Sc. Geoökologie/Geoecology (can be used for Field Ecology 2), M.Sc. Applied and Environmental Geoscience, M.Sc. Geowissenschaften/Geosciences. Course will provide a fundamental understanding of the processes shaping Geo- and Biosphere in tropical landscapes.
The module contains basic lectures on geology, geomorphology, hydrology, pedology and ecology of the visited landscapes with specific focus on Biosphere-Geosphere Interactions. The following landscapes and ecosystems will be covered:
- Marine and costal ecosystems
- Dry and humid savannah (several national parks and mzima springs)
- Highland landscapes (rift valley formation, volcanism (Mt. Elgon) and inland lakes systems)
- Tropical rainforests (national park)
- Lake Victoria basin landscapes
Anthropogenically affected areas will be characterized in parallel to their natural systems (mostly national parks) to understand human impact on African ecosystems. Collected knowledge and data will be summarized in scientific presentations at the end of the course.
Experimental and Analytical Methods in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (EN)
It is an elective Module for M.Sc. Geoökologie/Geoecology. Module course concentrates on practical skills and offers mastering experimental and analytical methods currently applied in ecotoxicology and/or environmental chemistry at the state-of-art level. The detailed information on the methods offer at BGI group may be found here.
MSc and BSc thesis at GBI
Topics for Master theses:
- Do we - for maize crown root mucilage analysis – need two hydrolysis steps or can we separate analytes according to their molecular weight: a method analysis including a first application to primary/seminal root secretome of barley.
- Sorghum mucilage sugar analysis from a 13C, 15N, 2H labelling study: Does Sorghum enhance its mucilage exudation under drought to achieve a better water uptake?
- Analysis of a coupled 13C and 2H isotope tracing to reveal microbial growth dynamics in soil
- Microbial storage compounds as an intermediate sink for recent photosynthates (MSc; 13CO2 plant labelling experiment; 13C-PLFA/13C-NLFA, 13C-PHB, 13C-MBC)*
- Is the gross primary productivity a good indicator for microbial storage? (MSc project, involves very mild modelling and GIS work / remote sensing data)*
- Common bean-maize facilitation under drought, based on P mobilizing*
- Isotopic Approaches to Demonstrate the Importance of Biochar and Labile Substrate Interactions in Stabilizing Carbon*
Topics for Bachelor theses:
- Does the exoenzymatic activity in a Botswanan soil depend on land use, soil depth and aggregate size classes (BSc in February)
- How fat are the microbes: Microbial storage (PHB) across temperate grasslands in Germany (BSc)*
Required skills: The candidates should have a strong background in biological or soil sciences and be willing to deal with chromatographic datasets, as well as lab work.
In case you are interested please contact Michaela Dippold of the Geo-Biosphere Interactions Group at michaela.dippold. @uni-tuebingen.de
For topics marked with an asterisk (*), please contact Callum Banfield at callum.banfield @uni-tuebingen.de