The course will take place at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, the premier tropical research centre in China, and will include field-trips to tropical and subtropical forests, savanna, and a variety of agro-ecosystems. The steep climatic gradients in Yunnan make this the ideal place for the study of climate change ecology. XTBG (with the nearby CTFS forest dynamics plot at Bubang) represents the northern margin of the Southeast Asian tropics and is the largest botanical garden in China. Ailaoshan is covered in extensive montane subtropical forests and associated vegetation types, whereas Yuanjiang supports savanna vegetation in a hot, dry, rain-shadow valley. All three sites are part of the ASIAFLUX network and have long-term climatic records.

Participants will be given the tools and insights to understand, interpret, evaluate and develop studies that integrate interdisciplinary forms of data to gain new insights into the ecology of climate change. Students will also develop and carry out their own independent research projects.

Coordinator: XTBG-OTS

Course duration: 4 weeks (June 16 to July 16, 2014)

Application Deadline: Complete applications must be received by February 25, 2014. Final acceptance decision will be made by March 10, 2014.

Details