Ecophysiology

Year
3
Academic year
2019-2020
Code
01000817
Subject Area
Biology
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Elective
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

Plant physiology, Ecology.

Teaching Methods

During the theoretical classes it is given to the students information on the main topics of the program, based on the intepretation of figures and tables from experiments in ecophysiology. The understanding of the processes is tested afterwards during the practical classes, where several problems are give to the students, stimulating problem-solving skills, intepretation of graphs and tables and aplying the theoretical knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

Main objective: give the student the theoretical and practical knowledge of plant ecophysiology, as an integrative science of plant physiology and ecology, autoecology and ecosystems processes.

Specific objectives: (i) Knowledge and learning capabilities: understand the concepts and principles of ecophysiology; (ii) Applied knowledge: learning experimental designs to do research in ecophysiology; (iii) Self-learning: develop research abilities through bibliographic research, synthesis capacity and interpretation of ecophysiological experiments.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

heoretical program:

1. Photosynthesis and respiration;

2. Plant Water Relations;

3. Leaf Energy Budgets: effects of radiation and temperature;

4. Mineral Nutrition;

5. Growth and Allocation;

6. Life cycles: environmental influences and adaptations.

 

Theoretical-practical program:

A. The Evolution of Plant Physiology

1. The origins of plant physiology;

2. Morphological and physiological impacts on plants during the 'step-on-land';

3. Structural biomacromolecules: information from fossil record;

4. Origin and evolution of tracheids in vascular plants;

5. Evolution of the water transport system;

6. Evolution of the xylem of angiosperms;

7. Evolution of the life cycle of terrestrial plants;

8. Evolutionary development of the plant body.

B. Stable Isotopes and Plant Ecology

C. Exercises of ecophysiology.

 

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Cristina Amaral Penas Nabais dos Santos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

Hemsley A.R. & Pooloe I. (2004) The Evolution of Plant Physiology. From whole plants to ecosystems. Elsevier Academic Press, London, 492 pp.

 

Jones H.G. (1996) Plants and Microclimate. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 428 pp.

 

Lambers H, Stuart Chapin III F, Pons TL (2008) Plant Physiological Ecology. Springer, Berlin, 604pp.

 

Larcher W (1995) Physiological Plant Ecology. Springer, Berlin, 506 pp.

 

Marschner H. (1990) Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Academic Press, London. 674 pp.

 

Schulze E.-D., Beck E. & Müller-Hohenstein (2005) Plant Ecology. Springer, Berlin, 702 pp.