You will ...

• move from water relations at the ecosystem scale to those at the leaf tissue scale
• model soil water regimes and thereby understand the significance of soil structure for water relations
• learn that visual impressions of what is dry or not may be very misleading

You will learn ...

• to deal with the main drivers of the water balance equation in order to estimate the risk of moisture shortage
• where and under which conditions water shortage can be a problem
• about a few techniques which help assess plant and ecosystem water relations (lysimeter; stable isotopes)

You will understand ...

• why alpine plants and ecosystems rarely suffer from moisture shortage
• the main plant strategies for the maintenance of a balanced water household
• the significance of season length and plant cover as the main drivers and controls of the water balance of plants

You will will be able to ...

• differentiate between visual impression and actual risk of water shortage
• distinguish between direct effects of soil moisture on vegetation and indirect ones via soil processes
• judge what are true adaptational features to water shortage in plants (rather than unwarranted beliefs)