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Teaching
Courses in English
Our project courses are taught in German or English, depending on the preferences and abilities of the teachers and students. The following courses will be, are or were taught fully or partly in English:
2026 Blended Intensive Program "Plant life along a climate gradient from boreal to arctic Lapland ". International MSc-PhD course with the University of Turku (Finland), the University of Eastern Finland, the Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona, Italy), and the University of Umeå (Sweden), with field work in Finnish Lapland. 2026 Excursion (large field practical) to the Alps (Seminar with a two-week field course, Bachelor) 2025-2026 Excursion (large field practical) to the South Island of New Zealand (Seminar with a two-week field course, Bachelor) 2025-2026 Project course Biodiversity Research: "Ecological restoration" (Practical, Master and Bachelor) 2025 Quantitative methods in ecology and biogeography (Practical, BSc and MSc) 2025 Blended Intensive Program “Dynamic earth processes - a field journey across Sweden” International BSc course with the University of Umeå (Sweden), University of Münster and University of Bremen (Germany), with field work in Sweden. 2024-2025 Excursion (large field practical) to central Patagonia (Seminar with a two-week field course, Bachelor) 2024-2025 Project course Biodiversity research: “Ecological consequences of the cosmopolitan bracken fern in a changing world” (Seminar series, Bachelor & Master) 2024 Blended Intensive Program "Ecological patterns and processes in alpine-treeline ecotones". International MSc-PhD course with the University of Turku (Finland), the University of Torino and the Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona, Italy), and the University of Umeå (Sweden), with field work in the German Alps (Berchtesgaden). 2023-2024 Excursion (large field practical) to Colombia (Seminar with a two-week field course, Bachelor) 2023-2024 Project course Biodiversity Research: "Scientific writing in ecology and biogeography" (Practical, Master and Bachelor) 2023 Blended Intensive Program "Latitudinal and elevational patterns in ecosystem structure and functioning, with a special emphasis on the roles of bryophytes". International MSc-PhD course with the University of Turku (Finland) and the University of La Réunion (France), with field work in both countries. 2022-2023 Project course "Quantitative methods in ecology and biogeography" (By Monica Berdugo and Lirey Ramírez)(Practical, Bachelor and Master) 2020-2022 Project courses (2x) Biodiversity research: “Ecological consequences of global change: scientific writing in biogeography and ecology” (online course, Master) 2019-2020 Excursion (large field practical) to the South Island of New Zealand (Seminar with a two-week field course, Bachelor) 2019 Project course Biodiversity research "Designing and analysing ecological research projects: treeline dynamics in the Alps" (Practical
including a one-week field course, Bachelor and Master)2019 Project course Biodiversity research „Designing and analysing ecological research projects: ecosystem functioning in Peru“ (Practical
accompanied by a two-week international field course in Peru (see below), Bachelor and Master)2019 Project course Biodiversity research “Eco-geographical aspects of the transition from the Andean Cloud Forest to the Lowland Amazon in Peru”
(Two-week international field course in Peru, Bachelor and Master)2019 Field methods course "Moss ecology and identification" (Practical including a 5-day field course, Bachelor and Master) 2018-2019 Project course Biodiversity research: “Studying spatial ecological processes using individual-based modelling” (Seminar series and practical, Master level) 2018 Project course Biodiversity research: “The alpine treeline in the Alps” (Practical including a one-week field course, Bachelor and Master) 2017-2018 Project course “Stable isotopes in the biosphere’ (Seminar series, literature review and exercises, Bachelor and Master) Thesis topics
Theses (BSc or MSc) can be written about any of the topics that our group is working on (ecological, geographical and ecophysiological projects using field or remotely-sensed data, experiments or modelling about e.g. alpine treelines, bryophytes, epiphytes, epiphylls, mountain forests and alpine vegetation in different parts of the world, including the tropics - very likely soon including the Galapagos Islands).
Current topics offered (for 2026) include:
Developing a database and / or website (incl. Web-GIS) and/ or smartphone app for gathering and presenting information and data about alpine treelines worldwide (with Christiane Enderle and AG Umweltinformatik)
Themes: databases, web-design, ecology, citizen science
Detecting, describing and explaining spatial patterns at alpine treelines
Themes: landscape ecology, remote sensing, GIS, method development, pattern recognition, statistics, point-pattern analysis, field work possible (e.g. in the Andes or Alps)
Individual-based modelling of treeline spatial patterns (collaboration with UFZ Leipzig)
Themes: modelling, population ecology, spatial ecology, micrometeorology
Characterising and modelling moss carbon exchange in dependence of selected environmental factors and/ or daily weather conditions
Themes: ecophysiology, statistics, modellingFor further inspiration please visit the research pages of our group.
Individual topics are also possible, please contact us!Bachelor courses
Annually: Introductory lectures and seminars in biogeography
2026 Big field course (excursion) Alps
2025-2026 Big field course (excursion) New Zealand
2025-2026 Project course: "Ecological restoration" (Practical)
2025 Data analysis in ecology and biogeography (Practical)
2025 Blended Intensive Program “Dynamic earth processes - a field journey across Sweden” International BSc-MSc course, field work in Sweden.
2024-2025 Big field course (excursion) central Patagonia
2024-2025 Project course: “Ecological consequences of the cosmopolitan bracken fern in a changing world”
2023-2024 Big field course (excursion) Colombia
2023-2024 Project course "Scientific writing in ecology and biogeography"
2023 Geographic excursion Kleinwalsertal, see below under Excursions.
2022-2023 Project course "Quantitative methods in ecology and Biogeography": Practical
2022 Project course “Plants and carbon”: Seminar + field practical
2021-2022 Project course “Individual based modelling” (online course)
2021 Project course on the multi-scale analysis of vegetation patterns in a nature development area along the Lahn River: Seminar + field practical
2020-2021 Project course “Individual based modelling” (online course)
2020 Project seminar: "Treelines of the world" (online course)
2020 Project seminar: "Big data in ecology and biogeography" (online course)
2020 Big field course (excursion) New Zealand
2019-20 Methods in geography: "Dendroecological analysis methods" (with Burkhard Neuwirth)
2019 Project: „Designing and analysing ecological research projects: treeline dynamics in the Alps“ with an excursion to the Alps
2019 Project: „Designing and analysing ecological research projects: ecosystem functioning in Peru“ combined with the international course “Eco-geographical aspects of the transition from the Andean Cloud Forest to the Lowland Amazon in Peru”
2019 Field methods: Artenkenntnis und Bestimmung der heimischen Flora "Ökologie und Bestimmung von Moos" (Moss ecology and identification): Exkursion + Seminar
2019 Field methods: "Landscape and nature of the central Netherlands": Excursion + Seminar
2018 Project: The treeline in the Alps: Seminar + field practical
2018 Project seminar on stabile isotopes in the biosphere: Seminar + exercises
2017 Multi-scale analysis of spatial patterns at the alpine treeline in the Alps: Seminar + field practical
2017 Development of the Mediterranean flora with Mallorca as an example: Seminar + field practical
2016 Changing islands: Geomorphology and vegetation of the Wadden island Spiekeroog: 'Interactions and Processes', field practical
2015 Vegetation changes in the Kleinwalsertal (Allgäuer Alps): Seminar + field practical
Master courses (see above under courses in English for some more details)
2026 Blended Intensive Program "Plant life along a climate gradient from boreal to arctic Lapland ". International MSc-PhD course
2025-2026 Project course Biodiversity Research: "Ecological restoration"
2025 Quantitative methods in ecology and biogeography
2024 Blended Intensive Program "Ecological patterns and processes in alpine-treeline ecotones". International MSc-PhD course
2023-2024 Advanced course biodiversity research: "Scientific writing in ecology and biogeography": Practical
2023 Blended Intensive Program "Latitudinal and elevational patterns in ecosystem structure and functioning, with a special emphasis on the roles of bryophytes". International MSc-PhD course
2022-2023 Advanced course biodiversity research: "Quantitative methods in ecology and biogeography": Practical
2022 Advanced course biodiversity research: “Plants and carbon”: Seminar + field practical
2021-2022 Project course Biodiversity research: “Ecological consequences of global change: scientific writing in biogeography and ecology” (online course)
2021 Advanced course biodiversity research: Big data in ecology and biogeography (online course)
2020-2021 Project course Biodiversity research: “Ecological consequences of global change: scientific writing in biogeography and ecology” (online course)
2020 Advanced course biodiversity research: Big data in ecology and biogeography (online course)
2019-20 Advanced course biodiversity research: Dendroecological analysis methods (with Burkhard Neuwirth)
2019 Advanced course biodiversity research: Designing and analysing ecological research projects: treeline dynamics in the Alps. Seminar + field practical
2019 Advanced course biodiversity research: Designing and analysing ecological research projects: ecosystem functioning in Peru. Course in combination with the international course “Eco-geographical aspects of the transition from the Andean Cloud Forest to the Lowland Amazon in Peru”
2018-19 Advanced course biodiversity research: Studying spatial ecological processes using individual-based modelling: Seminar + projects
2018 Advanced course biodiversity research: The treeline in the Alps: Seminar + field practical
2017-18 Advanced course biodiversity research: Stabile isotopes in the biosphere: Seminar + excersises
2017 Advanced course: Multi-scale analysis of spatial patterns at the alpine treeline in the Alps: Seminar + field practical
2016-17 Interactions and Processes: Development of the Mediterranean flora with Mallorca as an example: Seminar + field practical
2016 Interactions and Processes: Changing islands: Geomorphology and vegetation of the Wadden island Spiekeroog: 'Interactions and Processes', field practical
Excursions
Foto: Maaike Bader Tree fern, New ZealandSummer 2026: Two-week excursion to the European Alps (Modul: Grosse Geländearbeit, focus physical geography)
Summer 2026: Blended intensive program (BIP): international ecology course with field work in Finnish Lapland
For more information about the excursions (in German) see: https://www.uni-marburg.de/en/fb19/studium/lehrveranstaltungen_tertermine
Past excursions:
Spring 2026: Two-week excursion to the South Island of New Zealand (Maaike Bader & Stefan Harnischmacher)
Summer 2025: Blended intensive program (BIP): international ecology course with field work in the southern half of Sweden
Spring 2025: Two-week excursion to central Patagonia
Summer 2024: Blended intensive program (BIP): international ecology course with field work in Berchtesgaden (German Alps)
Spring 2024: Two-week excursion to Colombia
Summer 2023: Blended intensive program (BIP): international ecology course with field work in Finnish Lapland and the tropical island of La Réunion
Summer 2023: One-week geographical excursion, including attendance to the AK Hochgebirge annual meeting, in the Kleinwalsertal, Austrian Alps (Maaike Bader & Stefan Harnischmacher)
Spring 2020: Two-week excursion to the South Island of New Zealand. (Modul: Grosse Geländearbeit, focus physical geography). Route: Christchurch - Craigieburn Range - Arthurs Pass - Moana - Franz Josef Glacier - Fox Glacier - Wanaka - Te Anau - Doubtfull Sound - South Coast - Catlins - DunedinGeneral themes: flora, fauna, vegetation, geomorphology, climatology, land use, nature conservation, special focus on alpine treelines!
Spring 2019: One-week field methods excursion to the Netherlands: “Landscapes and nature of the central Netherlands”
March 2016: Two-week excursion to southern Ecuador & northern Peru