GEOBOTANY
Learning outcomes of the course unit
At the end of the course the students will be able of understanding how the present distribution of plant populations is the result of both historical processes and present relationships between plants and habitat. Moreover, they will acquire the ability of interpreting plant landscape and will become able of managing the plant resources and preserving plant biodiversity, also in the perspective of climate change.
Course contents summary
Study of the relationships between plant taxa and environment, investigated at individual, population and plant community level. Study of the geographic distribution the plants and of their responses to the variations of the main climatic and soil parameters. Identification, classification and dynamics of plant communities.
Recommended readings
Ozenda P., 1982. Les végétaux dans la biosphère. Doin Editeurs, Paris.
Pignatti S., 1994. Ecologia del paesaggio. UTET, Torino. (*)
Pignatti S., 1995. Ecologia vegetale. UTET, Torino. (*)
Ubaldi D.,2003. Flora, fitocenosi e ambiente. Elementi di Geobotanica e Fitosociologia. CLUEB.
Larcher W., Physiological Plant Ecology,2003. Springer.
Teaching methods
Lessons in the classroom during which the main topics of the course will be exposed and discussed with an active interaction with the students. Study exscursion in the field in which the topics of the course will be deepened, also in the key of landscape and biodiversity management. During the excursion the students will also partecipate to an interdisciplinary research experience.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination aiming at verifying how the students will become able to understand the conceptual bases of the conservation of plant biodiversity. The examination will be passed when the students reply positively and adequately to two questions on the three proposed.
