Short outline on biological and ecological aspects of photosynthetic and respiratory processes. Plant forms. Woody plant architecture: shoot and root growth patterns; shoot types. Juvenility. Growth responses to environmental factors.
Systematics and taxonomy; classification of vascular plants. Botanical nomenclature. Species and speciation. Geographical distribution. Sexual and asexual reproduction. Diversity: levels and patterns; the evaluation and conservation of diversity.
Vegetation structure: succession and communities. Plant sociology ranks. Landscapes.
Taxonomy, morphology and ecophysiological traits of main landscape woody species:
Pinophyta: Pinaceae (Abies, Picea, Larix, Pinus), Cupressaceae (Cupressus);
Magnoliophyta: Fagaceae (Castanea, Fagus, Quercus), Betulaceae, Salicaceae, Rosaceae, “Leguminosae” (including Ceratonia), Aceraceae, Simaroubaceae (Ailanthus), Oleaceae.
Gellini R., Grossoni P. – Botanica forestale. I. Gimnosperme. CEDAM. Padova. 1994.
Gellini R., Grossoni P. – Botanica forestale. II. Angiosperme. CEDAM. Padova. 1995.
Appunti dalle lezioni.
Per approfondimenti:
Arrigoni P.V. – La vegetazione forestale. Serie “Boschi e macchie della Toscana”. Edizioni Regione Toscana. 1998.
Bernetti G. – Selvicoltura speciale. UTET. 1995
Blasi C., Boitani L., La Posta S., Manes F., Marchetti M., - Stato della biodiversità in Italia. Palombi Editori. 2005.
Evert R.F., Eichhorn S.E. - La biologia delle piante di Raven. Zanichelli. 2013.
Frankel O.H., Brown A.H.D., Burdon J.J. – The conservation of plant biodiversity.Cambridge University Press. 1995.
Ingegnoli V., Giglio E. – Ecologia del Paesaggio. Sistemi Editoriali. 2007.
Mondino G.P., Bernetti G., - I tipi forestali. Serie “Boschi e macchie della Toscana”. Edizioni Regione Toscana. 1998.
Pasqua G., Abbate G., Forni C. – Botanica generale e diversità vegetale. Piccin. 2009
Pignatti S. (ed.), 1995 – Ecologia Vegetale. UTET. Torino.
Primack R.B., Carotenuto L. – Conservazione della natura. Zanichelli. Bologna. 2003.
Sereni E., - Storia del paesaggio agrario. Laterza. 2001.
Simpson M.G. – Plant Systematics. Academic Press. 2010.
Smith A.M., Coupland G., Dolan L., Harberd N., Jones J., Martin C.,Sablowski R., Amey A.- Biologia delle piante. 2 voll. Zanichelli. 2011/12.
Piussi P. – Selvicoltura generale. UTET. 1994.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: Knowledge in plant biology, systematic and forest botany, plant ecophysiology, vegetation science and diversity conservation.
Competence acquired (at the end of the course):
Competences on morphology, ecophysiology and taxonomy of forest trees and on principles of diversity conservation. Ability to evaluate the vegetation unities.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): Good knowledge to evaluate the main typologies of plant landscape and bioconservation practices.
Prerequisites
Students are expecetd to be familiar with principles and terminology of biology and ecology.
Recommended courses: Ecologia del Paesaggio (Landscape Ecology); Arboricoltura e silvicoltura urbana (Arboriculture and Urban Forestry); Storia del paesaggio (Landscape History).
Teaching Methods
CFU: 6
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc.): 150 hours.
Contact hours for lectures: 29
Contact hours for laboratory and plant biology practice: 19
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: 102 hours
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab: not compulsory but strongly recommended.
Teaching tools: Video projector, PC.
Type of Assessment
Examen modality: Oral examination on the subjects of lectures and laboratory.
Course program
An outline of plant citology and histology.
Ecological importance of photosynthetic and respiratory processes.
THE PLANT FORM
Herbaceous and woody plants. Trees and shrubs.
Tree architecture: shoot growth patterns; shoot types. Apical dominance.
Root architecture and growth patterns.
Juvenility.
Competition and physical environment; human factors.
Branch morphology: long and short shoots. Phyllotaxy. Key to species determination.
SYSTEMATICS
Sexual and agamic propagation. Hybrids and clones.
Outline of plant taxonomy. Botanical nomenclature.
Species and speciation. Distribution area.
Infraspecific diversity. Ecotypes, varieties, cultivars.
DIVERSITY
Diversity as global resource. Diversity at level of gene, individual, species and natural community.
Human stresses in diversity. Diversity evaluation and indices of diversity.
Diversity conservation; in situ and ex situ conservation. Strategies for the conservation of diversity (gene, individual, species and community level).
Domestication and naturalized species (alien species)
VEGETATION
Introduction to science of vegetation. Dynamics of communities: community patterns, succession and competition, climax.
Communities classification.
Outline of phytosociology; association and hierarchical classification units.
LANDSCAPE
Landscape structure. Human modifications and threats on plant landscapes.
TAXONOMY, MORPHOLOGY AND ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS OF MAIN LANDSCAPE WOODY SPECIES.
Pinophyta.
Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida and Liliopsida.