HULK: Humus - Agriculture - Climate: The Two Faces of Carbon Dioxide
- Between Climate Crisis and Soil Life
Within the framework of the HuLK educational project (2020-2024), experiments will be carried out with students at schools to give them a clear understanding of the topic of climate change in the context of agriculture and the special importance of soil (humus). In the project, the students can act independently as junior researchers and approach the topic of "climate change-soil-agriculture" step by step under the guidance of scientists. They learn to better understand scientific processes (carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, soil as a C reservoir, humus for climate change adaptation for crops in arable farming) and see ways in which this knowledge can be translated into practical solutions. The project will specifically use modern media to document the project process ("media literacy").
The project will be divided into 5 phases:
- Phase 1: the students develop initial ideas using age-appropriate books and create a project guide with the researchers.
- Phase 2: Students will conduct experiments in class on (i) CO2 evolution, (ii) soil and humus, and (iii) humus and plant growth under drought conditions.
- Phase 3: Students visit the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences and the Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities to conduct in-depth experiments with microscopy and plant "imaging".
- Phase 4: On two field trips (Northern Burgenland - organic farm; Styria - Ökoregion Kaindorf) the students learn about the practical application of their knowledge and expand their knowledge through experiments in the field.
- Phase 5: In the context of a student conference at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, the classes present their results and receive certificates for the acquired knowledge.
Detailed planning takes place at the beginning of the project with the class teachers, whereby about two days per semester are to be planned for the project as a joint appointment with the scientific partners (phase 1+2 in the classes, phase 3-5 at the universities or as excursions).
All materials, including the VSI Rhizobox - Root Visualisation System, will be provided to the schools as part of the project (and will remain at the schools for further use in education projects). In the preparation phase, the experiments will be discussed with the class teachers and adapted to the classes. In the follow-up phase, the experiences will be used to create learning materials for further use in the classroom.
Contact Project Leader:
- PD Dr. Gernot Bodner (gernot.bodner@boku.ac.at; Tel.: +43 1 47654 95115)
FFG Talente - 7. Ausschreibung Talente regional