Programme

INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF BOTANY. THE FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTS. PLANT CELLS; CELLULAR WALLS, VACUOLES. PLASTIDS AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS. ONTOGENETICAL CYCLES AND REPRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION TO THE TAXONOMY. THALLUS AND CORMUS. MERISTEMS AND CELLULAR DIFFERANTIATION. DEFINITIVE TISSUES: PARENCHIMATIC, TEGUMENTAL, MECCANICAL, VASCULAR, AND SECRETORY TISSUES. PLANT ORGANS: ROOTS, STEM, LEAVES, FLOWERS, FRUITS, SEEDS- CHARACTERISTICS AND DEVELOPMENT.
DIVERSITY OF PLANTS IN A PHYLOGENETIC POINT OF VIEW.

EXERCISES: HISTOLOGICAL PREPARATION OF PLANTS TISSUES. MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSES. IDENTIFICATIONS.
HERBARIUM EXERCISES. INTRODUCTION TO PLANT ECOLOGY AND TO BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT.

Core Documentation

RAVEN, EVERT, EICHHORN- BIOLOGIA DELLE PIANTE- ED. ZANICHELLI, ED. VARIE
-PASQUA. ABBATE, FORNI- BOTANICA GENERALE E DIVERSITÀ VEGETALE- ED. PICCIN, PADOVA. I ED. 2008.
- pdf OF THE LESSONS
- EXERCISES PROTOCOLS

Type of delivery of the course

The course will take place with classroom lectures on the main topics of the course. The course also includes laboratory exercises on the main topics of the course.

Type of evaluation

The evaluation will be based on the results deriving from a written and an oral test. The written test will consist in a questionnaire of 30 questions, including open and closed answers and image identification. Based on the correct answers, a score will be given. The oral test, to which the student is admitted only if the score of 18 in the written test is reached, consists in asking the student for topics related to the course program. During the oral exam the realisation of an educational herbarium composed of dried vegetables will also be evaluated. The final score will be awarded by calculating the average between the two tests scheduled.

Programme

Biodiversity, systematic and plant evolution. Morpho-structural characteristics of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gimnosperms, angiosperms, with examples of the main families. Ontogenetic cycles from algae to fanerogams.

Core Documentation

Pdfs of the lessons performed during the course and the following books:
RAVEN, EVERT, EICHHORN- BIOLOGIA DELLE PIANTE- ED. ZANICHELLI, VI ED. 2002.
Pasqua, Abbate, Forni. Botanica generale e Diversità vegetale. PICCIN

Reference Bibliography

Consultation of key dichotomous of Pignatti (2018). Flora d’Italia. Edagricole (for deepening and determination of plant specimens)

Type of delivery of the course

The course will take place with classroom lectures, delivered in mixed mode, providing the possibility for students enrolled in the course to participate from home. Practical exercises in the laboratory and educational field trips are planned. In the event of an extension of the health emergency from COVID-19, they will receive all the provisions that regulate the methods for carrying out the educational activities. In particular, the following methods are applied: conducting frontal lessons through mixed mode using the Microsoft Teams platform to transmit lessons to students attending from home and uploading the ppt of the lessons and other material useful for teaching purposes in the platform identified by the University such as Moodle. The Lessons cannot be recorded.

Attendance

Frequency at lessons is not mandatory but is highly recommended.

Type of evaluation

The evaluation is based on the results deriving from a written and an oral exam. The written exam consists in a test of 30 questions that include open, closed answers and image recognition. Based on the right answers, a score will be given. The oral exam, to which one is admitted only if the vote of 18 in the written exam is reached, consists in asking the student for topics related to the course program. During the oral exam, the realization of an herbarium composed of dried plant specimens will also be evaluated. The final score will be awarded by calculating the average between the two exams. Should the health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic continue, only the oral test will be held.