Sprecher
Beschreibung
Ecosystem- and Climate change are politically important and exciting topics of particular public interest. Palaeoclimate analyses play a crucial role when differentiating between anthropogenically and ‘natural’ climate change. In popular media, results of such analyses are often reflected in a simplified, confusing, or even altered way. Particularly the methods behind presented (palaeo-)climate data are often not revealed to non-scientists.
A good way to introduce ‘natural’ ecosystem and climate change to non-scientists and to increase their understanding of scientific research are simplified case studies. Here, we show such studies with focus on pollen analysis. We discuss the applicability of such studies to museums, schools, and university teaching, with focus on three-day pollen course developed for primary school children. In this course, theoretical background to vegetation and climate development is combined with haptic and artistic activities, resulting in simple self-made ecosystem models for the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. We furthermore show how modifications of such courses can be implemented in shorter public events or in teaching.