Critical Zone and Ecosystem Dynamics: Abandonment & Rebound

Summer Course on Critical Zone and land-use change and their impacts on water and soils and social impact

July 10- 19, 2023

Director: Timothy White (The Pennsylvania State University, USA)
Scientific Secretary: Yuichi Onda (University of Tsukuba, Japan)

Lectures by
Timothy White (The Pennsylvania State University, USA)
Ashlee Dere (University of Nebraska-Omaha, USA)
Suzanne Anderson (University of Colorado, USA)
Jr-Chuan Huang (National Taiwan University, Taiwan)
Adam Wymore (University of New Hampshire, USA)
William McDowell (University of New Hampshire, USA)
Sharon Billings (University of Kansas, USA)
Wendy Yang (University of Illinois, USA)​
Osamu Saito (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan)
Herlin Chien (National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan)
Janet Swim (Pennsylvania State University, USA)
Cécile Hérivaux (French Geological Survey)​
Yasushi Mori (Okayama University, Japan)
Takashi Gomi (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan)
Yuichi Onda (University of Tsukuba, Japan)

Overview
The Critical Zone (CZ) is the system that supports all terrestrial ecosystems and extends from the unweathered rocks to the top of any vegetation canopy in the CZ. Physical, biological, geological, and hydrological processes interact at multiple temporal and spatial scales.

This 9-day summer course will focus on aspects related to hydrology, soil geochemistry and weathering, vegetation dynamics and distribution, microbiota, biodiversity, ecosystem processes, geological processes related to the CZ, and the relationship of the CZ to sustainable development goals, with a basic focus on the relationship between critical zone function and ecosystem dynamics. The course will cover in-situ data, long-term ecosystem studies, chemical and isotope laboratory analysis, remote sensing observations, and numerical modeling.

It also includes field trips to Fukushima and Tochigi for lectures and experiments, as well as discussions with local people.

The course is intended for PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and researchers working or planning to work on Critical Zone processes and ecosystem dynamics. The lectures will be held mainly in the lecture rooms of the Research Building A at the University of Tsukuba. This ABRESO Summer School is organized by CRIED (Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics) at the University of Tsukuba in collaboration with the Pennsylvania State University.

Click here for detailed information.

Applicants must submit a PDF document that includes a one-page statement of purpose describing how participation in the summer school will enhance their career prospects, a current curriculum vitae, and a brief letter of recommendation from a primary faculty advisor/supervisor. Please submit this PDF to Professor Tim White (tsw113@psu.edu) by April 7.

For more information, please contact:
Yuichi Onda (University of Tsukuba)
email: onda@geoenv.tsukuba.ac.jp