PLANT ECOLOGY
Learning outcomes of the course unit
To give essential scientific bases to understand the ecological processes of plant populations and communities
Prerequisites
Students must have attended a basic ecology course and a botany or plant physiology course
Course contents summary
Scientific method in Ecology
Definition of Science
Brief discussion about the role of science in our society
Case study for a choice between two different hypothesis
Why should we use models in ecology?
How a scientific ecological research should be conducted
Methods to find the most important factor influencing a process
Example from Ecology October 1999
The role of ANOVA in Ecology
Fixed and random models
# Ecofisiologia Vegetale
Plant Ecophysiology
Light and photosynthesis
Photosynthesis and plant adaptation to light environment
Photosinthesis in C3, C4 and CAM plants
Isotopic discrimination
Photosynthesis and enviromental factors: light, water, CO2 and temperature
A/Ci curves and Fahrquar models
# Water and plants
Transpiration and factors affecting transpiration
Water Use Efficency
# Nutrients
Nitrogen
Other nutrients
Genotype x Enviroment interaction
Patterns of adaptation to environment
Phenotypic plasticity
The role of phytochrome for light response by plants
Evolution and population genetics
How genetic variability is measured
Allozymes
RFLP
RAPD
Microsatellite
AFLP
Gene frequencies, genotype frequencies and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
Heterozygosity and fixation index
Genetic drift and gene flow
Habitat fragmentation
Genetic distances
Selection
# Quantitative traits
Variance components and heritability
Heritability estimate
QTL mapping
Interval mapping
Hierarchical models
Recommended readings
- Gurevitch, Schneider, Fox (2002) The Ecology of Plants. Sinauer Ass.
- Barbour, Burk, Pitts, Gilliam, Schwartz (1999) Terrestial Plant Ecology. Cummings - Addison Wesley Longman
- Pignatti S.(1995) Ecologia Vegetale. UTET.
Teaching methods
Three practical laboratories in the field are tipically carried out during the class.
A written exam is programmed when about half of the program is done.
A final oral exam is programmed after the end of the teaching class.