Forest Ecology Research
Forests are highly diverse ecosystems that act as habitats for various organisms, recreation areas for humans, provide timber and other resources and act as carbon sinks. At the same time, they are challenged by rapid climate change, emerging pests and diseases as well as other anthropogenic influences.
While forests are threatened, there is a lack of scientists that are specifically trained to study organismal interactions in these ecosystems with modern methods. They are currently searched in university and non-university research to help understand how our forests can respond to the challenges mentioned.
In this major, students will learn state-of-the-art research techniques to address pressing questions in forest ecosystems – ranging from unraveling interactions between trees with their biotic and abiotic environment by incorporating all scales from the molecular to the landscape level.
“Forests are highly complex ecosystems. With our major “Forest Ecology Research” we aim to pass on the knowledge and research skills required for studying the complex interactions in forest across spatial and temporal scales – covering all levels of organization from genetics and pathogens to growth dynamics and soil conditions at the stand level. With this expertise, our students can become the forest scientists of the future”
Prof. Dr. Katrin Heer
Head of major, Eva Mayr-Stihl Chair of Forest Genetics
Curriculum
Short description of the study content
Core modules
- Forests and Global Change: Climate Change, Deforestation and afforestation, Digitalisation
- Applied Environmental Statistics : Extends statistical knowledge, R, Python, multiple regression
Major modules
- Analysis of Biodiversity Data: Measures, spezies richness and composition, R-Analysis
- Ecosystem Functioning: Processes in ecosystems, ecological approaches and systems
- Forests Soils and Climate Change: Soils as sink/source of greenhouse gases, soil-related forest managment
- Genetic and genomic methods in forest management and conservation: Population genetics of forest trees, lab and R analysis
Core modules
There are no core modules offered in the second semester.
Major modules
- Experimental Ecology: Experimental design, own research project, presentation
- Tree and Forest Ecophysiology: Water and carbon fluxes, research methods, analysis and interpretation
- Forest Pathology: Pathogene detection and isolation with molecular methods, own project work
- Forest Entomology: Ecology of forest insects, own project plus presentation
Core modules
- Frontiers in Forest Sciences: Perception, Changes in forestry, research methods
Major module
- Disturbance Ecology ( content will follow soon)
- Forest growth and structure: LiDAR, Drone, 3-D-Data Analysis, Multi-scale analyses of forest growth
During the program you take three elective courses amounting to 15 ECTS credits.
You can choose from a variable selection of modules offered for the two master programmes — MSc Forest Sciences and MSc Environmental Sciences. The language of instruction is mainly English, although German taught modules are also available.
In addition, modules from other master programmes within the faculty, the university, or even outside the university may be taken, provided they are academically relevant. Eligibility is decided by the examination board in accordance with the specific focus of the study programme.
Language courses are not recognised as suitable teaching units
The internship should provide an insight into possible career fields and enables to gain hands-on and real-life work experience, connect to organisations and develop personal and professional competences. It serves as an excellent opportunity to explore possible professional fields and career paths.
The mandatory internship (10 ECTS) lasts at least 7 weeks (275 full‑time working hours). It is recommended to place it in the semester break between the 2nd and 3rd semester, but it can also be scheduled flexibly at any time thats suitable. It may be completed either in one company or can be also split into two phases and two different companies of at least three weeks each. Students are free to do it either in Germany or abroad.
Internships are organised by the students themselves. They will be supported with advice and contacts on request.
The Master thesis is worth 30 ECTS credits (27 ECTS master thesis and 3 ECTS colloquium). The written part is an individual examination paper. This thesis must be completed within 6 months and the topic must be chosen from the area of the chosen major. The Master’s colloquium consists of an approximately 20-minute presentation by the student on the topic, methods and results of the Master’s thesis, followed by a discussion.
The purpose is to enable each student to work intensively on a subject within their field of study using scientific methods, meet the stipulated deadline, and present the results in an appropriate scientific research format. Both the thesis topic and the supervising faculty members are arranged and agreed upon by the student themselves. Registration of the thesis is permitted once the student has accumulated at least 60 ECTS on their transcript of records.
Upon request, it is possible to study abroad for one semester. Although the master’s programme does not include a dedicated Erasmus semester, it still offers many possibilities for international experience. These include a semester abroad with individual modules that can be taken, a professional or research internship, and the option to write the master’s thesis overseas. If you are interested, our team is happy to advise you and help organise the appropriate stay abroad.
Career Opportunities
- Research at universities
- Non-university research institutes and national parks
- State departments
- Research in companies
- NGOs
Admission requirements
Requirements for a successful application to the MSc Forest Sciences / Forest Ecology Research:
- BSc Degree with grade point average of at least 2.5
- English C1 level (accepted proofs)
- 55 ECTS in natural sciences and ecology
-> Proof of floristic and faunistic species knowledge
-> Population ecology - 15 ECTS in statistics and geomatics
-> basic knowledge in “R” is assumed
You can apply from 1st March – 15th May for the winter semester (starting in October)