Knowledge about the most important instrument available for studying plant ecology, with particular reference to: interaction between plant and environment, climate and plant response to climate change, geographical distribution of plant species and floristic cartography, biodiversity conservation.
Course Prerequisites
To have a good background about Botany and Ecology (to have attended the courses of Botany and Ecology is preparatory).
Teaching Methods
Theory lessons and practical exercises
For those students who have the right to benefit from "inclusive teaching methods", teachers will could arrange meetings ad personam, in person and/or remotely, agreeing an exam program with the student.
Assessment Methods
Learning is verified through a written test composed of different type of questions: - Questions requiring explanation or definition of a specific term, verifying knowledge and competence about the specific language. - Questions requiring the recognition of schemes or graphics, verifying the student ability in applying the knowledge acquired by recognition of process and phenomenon, technical of sampling and methods for data acquisition, data processing and representations. - Questions requiring a short description of a subject included in the course program, aiming to verify language use, synthesis and the deep understanding of theoretical concepts.
Texts
Lecture notes will be available
Contents
Section 1 – Prof. Anna Corli - Climate and Phytoclimate: environmental factors influencing plant life. To get and process climatic data. Numerical synthesis and graphical representations of climatic data; Phytoclimatic indexes and their use in studies of plant ecology. - Ecological and functional traits of plant species: life forms, ecological indices, bioindication, and life strategies. - Morpho-functional characteristics and adaptations of plants to the environment in relation to the main abiotic and biotic factors. - Seed ecology (dispersion, soil seed bank, germination and dormancy) - Conservation biology: legislation on biodiversity conservation and main international conventions (CBD, GSPC, ESPC; Bern; Washington CITES; EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC). - In situ conservation of plant biodiversity: translocations, protected areas, habitat management, and ecological restoration
Section 2 - Prof. Graziano Rossi - Phytogeography and geobotany - Red lists (IUCN) - Ex situ conservation of plant biodiversity: seed banks and germplasm collections.
The course includes some practical exercises at the Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Seeds and at the Germplasm Bank
Course Language
Italian
More information
All the lectures (slides), suggesting reading and other learnig aids are uploaded on the platform KIRO, available on line to all the students
