BOTANY

Integrated educational activity

Course Sheet

Academic Year of enrolment:

2013/2014

Optional/Mandatory:

Compulsory

Degree:

Bachelor's Degree Programme in BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Language:

Italian

Moduls:

SYSTEMATIC BOTANY

6 credits
GENERAL BOTANY

6 credits

Credits:

Programme Year:

Hours of classroom activity:

104

Prerequisites:

General Botany
The enrolment at the course requires a basic knowledge of General and Organic Chemistry

PLANT SYSTEMATICS
none

AF code:

40001014

Assessment Methods

Verification of learning:

General Botany
The students will be assessed through a final written test and/or oral exam
PLANT SYSTEMATICS
Tests "in progress" can be planned with students. A final oral exam, together with the Botany first module, will conclude the evaluation.

Teaching period

Second semester

Objectives

General Botany
The course will impart the basic knowledge concerning the anatomy and the physiology of higher plants. Students will learn the features and the functions of plant cells, tissues and organs.
PLANT SYSTEMATICS
The course is intended to introduce basic elements of plant biodiversity using the tools of Systematic Botany, through a morpho-functional and phylogenetical approach. Students are aspected to be able to distinguish, describe and integrate in taxonomic schemes the main plant groups, from algae to the terrestrial plants. The keynote will be, when possible, morphological species or systematic units (i.e.: algae, tracheophytes, spermatophytes etc.).

Contents

General Botany
Elements of plant citology. Membranes, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, cytoskeleton. Cell wall and its modifications. Plasmodesmata. Plastids. Vacuole.
Primary and secondary meristems. Parenchymatic, tegumental, mechanical, conductive and secretory tissues.
Primary and secondary structure of stems, leaves and roots with their modifications.
Elements of bioenergetics. Chemical and electrochemical potential. Light and the activity of photosynthetic pigments. Photosynthetic transport of electrons and Photophosphorylation. Calvin cycle. Photorespiration. Plants C4 and CAM. Translocation of organic compounds.
Physical and chemical properties of water. Water potential and water trasport in plants.

PLANT SYSTEMATICS
PLANT BIODIVERSITY. ORGANISATION LEVELS (thallus and cormus).
ALGAE. Generalities, thallus organization, main evolution lines, life cycles and reproduction.
FUNGI. Main characteristics of the terrestrial fungi and their relations to plants (mycorrhizae). LICHENES. Main characteristics, morphology and ecology.
BRYOPHYTES. Generalities, evolution, morphology, reproduction, life cycle.
PTERIDOPHYTES. Generalities, evolution, morphology, reproduction, life cycles.
SPERMATOPHYTES. Ovule and seed. Main characteristics, morphology, reproduction, evolution and life cicles of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Angiosperms taxonomy.

Recommended Bibliography

General Botany
RAVEN P.H., EVERT R. F., EICHHORN S.E. - Biologia delle piante. Sesta edizione. Zanichelli, 2002
STERN K.R., BIDLACK J.E., JANSKY S.H. - Introduzione alla biologia vegetale. McGraw-Hill, 2009.
ROST T.L., BARBOUR M.G., STOCKING R.C., MURPHY T.M. - Biologia delle piante. Zanichelli, 2008.
PASQUA G., ABBATE G., FORNI C., 2007 – Botanica generale e diversità vegetale. Piccin.

PLANT SYSTEMATICS
Multimedia will be used and the material will be available to the students.
RAVEN P. H., EVERT R.F., EICHHORN S.E., 2002 - Biologia delle piante. Ed. Zanichelli.
PASQUA G., ABBATE G., FORNI C., 2007 - Botanica generale e diversità vegetale. Piccin Editore

Teaching Methods

General Botany
LECTURES. Description of the topics of the course
PRACTICAL LABORATORIES. Use of optical microscopes. Preparation of plant explants suitable for examination by microscopy. Observation of characteristic features of plant cells: vacuoles, chloroplasts, chromoplasts, amyloplasts. Observation of leaf epidermal tissues and plant tissues in sections of stems, roots and leaves.

PLANT SYSTEMATICS
The attention and participation of students at different stages of education will be stressed. Practical activities will be carried out in the laboratory, with observation of samples and the application of specific techniques of study. The discussion and debate will be encouraged as well as the collaboration among students in the different activities.

Contacts/More Information

1) Readiness to offer individual assistance also in english language to incoming students
2) Availability of supporting material and bibliographic references also in english language
List for PLANT SYSTEMATICS: Avalable on request supporting material and bibliographic references on specific themes, mainly in English..

3) Readiness to accept examination of incoming students also in english language

BOTANY

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