PLANT BIODIVERSITY AND TAXONOMY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Basic knowledge of biology (such as difference between animal and vegetal cell; basic knowledge of the processes of respiration and photosynthesis), chemistry and physics
There will be a unique final written examination with three open questions focusing on the topics addressed during the class. For every question the maximum score will be 10, allowing to achieve a final score of 30/30. The minimum sufficient score for each question (6/10) will be achieved providing the main knowledge of the main topics and problems addressed by the specific question, with emphasis on the most important issues, as underlined during the class. The evaluation will increase depending on the completeness of the answers for each question, of the details of the knowledge and information provided, of the capability of the student to identify and describe the relation among the selected topics. The evaluation 30/30 with laude will be attributed when the student preparation will be more than excellent.
IMPORTANT: To be admitted to the final examination it is mandatory to provide the personal/individual herbarium which has to be formally approved by the professor.
The main aim is to provide to the student the theoretical and practical knowledge concerning plants, with reference to the organization of the plant structures, the differentiation and evolution of the major plant lineages starting from the simplest prokaryotes to the vascular plants, their systematics and the deriving floristic adiversity (especially referring to Gymnosperms and Angiosperms)and the knowledge of target species representative of Italy. This class will provide specific skills and knowledge useful for other botanical classes and will be completed by following also the class "Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants".
At the end of this class the student will be able to:
describe the general organization of the structures of Thallophytes and Cormophytes, their taxonomy and systematics, with reference to their biologic and floristic diversity, and the most important species of the Italian flora;
identify plant species using identification keys;
sample and dry vegetation samples;
explain the topics addressed by the class using a proper scientific language,
be able to identify in laboratory the main group of plant taxa (Pterydophytae, Gymnospermae, Angiospermae);
identify the main steps of plant evolution in the frame of a phylogenetic system.
This class aims to provide the knowledge a) on plants biodiversity and systematics within a taxonomic frame based on evolutive and phylogenetic criteria, with special reference to the understanding of the evolution of the main plant structures and groups and of their ecological and adaptative value in relation also to the development of plant structures and functions, and b) to the practical recognition/determination of the main taxonomic groups (families, genera, species) relevant to plant systematic, ecology and economy. In particular:
Plant taxonomy, main systematic features, speciation processes and main plant reproductive strategies. Organization of plant biodiversity in systematic groups (eukarya) using cladistics and phylogenetic criteria.
H. lectures: 2; h. laboratory practices: 0.
Prokaryota
Cyanobacteria: (Cyanobacteriophyta).
H. lectures: 2; h. laboratory practices: 0.
Eukarya
Biodiversity of eukaryotic organisms from Algae to Angiosperms
Eukaryotic Algae: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction stratigies, ecology. Taxonomy: Heterocontophyta; Rhodophyta; Chlorophyta.
H. lectures: 6; h. laboratory practices: 0.
Mycota: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction stratigies, ecology. Taxonomy: Oomycota, Eumycota.
H. lectures: 6; h. laboratory practices: 0.
Lichens: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction stratigies, ecology. Taxonomy: Ascolichens, Basydiolichens.
H. lectures: 2; h. laboratory practices: 0.5.
Bryophytes: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction strategies, ecology. Taxonomy: Anthocerotopsida, Marchantiopsida, Jungermanniopsida, Bryopsida.
H. lectures: 4; h. laboratory practices: 0.5.
Pteridophytes: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction stratigies, ecology. Taxonomy: Psilotopsida, Lycopodiopsida, Equisetopsida, Pteridopsida.
H. lectures: 4; h. laboratory practices: 0.5.
Spermatophytes: main characteristics of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.
Gymnosperms: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction stratigies, ecology. Taxonomy: Coniferophytina (Gynkgoopsida, Pinopsida) and Cycadophytina (Cycadopsida e Gnetopsida).
H. lectures: 4; h. laboratory practices: 1.
Angiosperms: main morphological characteristics, organization levels, reproduction stratigies, ecology. Taxonomy: Magnoliopsida and Rosopsida (Dicotyledons), Liliopsida (Monocotyledons). Knowledge of the main famiglie with reference to important species of the Italian flora: Ranunculaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fagaceae, Betulaceae, Ulmaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Aceraceae, Apiaceae, Salicaceae, Brassicaceae, Ericaceae, Oleaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Poaceae, Orchidaceae, Cyperaceae.
H. lectures: 12; h. laboratory practices: 2.5.
Practical activities will be carried out in laboratory and during the field excursions to identify plant species using identification keys. Every student will have to prepare a personal herbarium which will be mandatory for the participation to the final examination.
The lecture slides (files .pptx or .pdf) will be provided to the students at the end of the lectures of each main topic.
The text book is the following: Strasburger. Trattato di Botanica. Volume 2: Sistematica e Geobotanica. Antonio Delfino Editore
The teaching activities will include lectures and laboratory practices/training. The lectures will be performed through videoconference turning between the lecture site between Como and Varese. The practices/training activities will be carried out in laboratory with the assistance of suitable personnel (16 hours) and of the professor (16 hours). Also for the laboratory training will be performed a site turning with 8 hours performed at Varese and 8 hours performed at Como. The field training will be of two days (16 hours).
The herbarium will be built individually by each student who will select a territory at his/her choice and following the guidelines provided during lessons and laboratory and reported in e-learning. The herbarium task if finalized to allow the student be able to simulate a professional task of description of the floristic characteristics of a territory.
For the students with certificated problems not allowing them to participate to the field trip (such as physical handicap, parents with vey young children, etc) will be selected other integrative activities to be defined for each student depending on the specific needs and issues.
The visiting time will be personalized and will be fixed by e-mail (nicoletta.cannone@uninsubria.it)