28368: Modelling Ecosystem Functions with the Soil and Water AssessmentTool
Scope: 2Credit Points: 3
Structural Content: The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a widely used, powerful simulation model used to predict the impacts of climate, land use and management changes on hydrology and matter fluxes in river basins of various sizes. The objective of this module is to teach the major principles and theoretical background of the SWAT model, and its practical application for the investigation, interpretation, and assessment of environmental issues.
Course Content: The theoretical part introduces the different subroutines of the model including climate, hydrology, erosion, nutrient cycles, and plant growth, and explains the major input and output parameters. In the practical part, students will learn how to perform the model setup, parameterization, and calibration for a case study watershed. We will develop potential climate, land use change and management changes scenarios and evaluate their impacts with respect to ecosystem functions and services.