Ateneo - UPO

1. PLANT INTERACTIONS WITH THE TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM
2. ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH
3. RESPONSES AND ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS TO CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES

Neil Willey – Environmental Plant Physiology, Taylor & Francis 2016
Park Nobel – Physicochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology, Academic Press 2020

Understand the relationships between plant physiology and the environment, analyzing different environmental variables belonging to two different categories: "resources" and "stressors", depending on whether they help synthesize biomass or limit biomass production. Understand the importance of plant-environment interactions for global food security and the conservation of the natural world.

To understand the physiological mechanisms in relation to plant interactions with the environment, the discussion of the topics in the programme will rely on previous in-depth knowledge of plant physiology, biochemistry, cellular biology and botany. Students should have also good knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, physics and mathematics.

The course consists of lectures presenting the programme with the aid of slides together with scientific articles for further reading. The course is integrated with practical lectures. A copy of the teaching material used during the lessons will be provided on the teaching website.

Control of the learning capacity by discussing the topics during the lessons. In any case, the teacher will be available on appointment for clarifications on the topics of the lessons or on the material provided.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-
students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam is an oral test. During the interview, the acquisition of fundamental notions of environmental plant physiology will be assessed together with the ability to use them critically in the discussion of general issues. The sufficiency (18/30) will be achieved if the student demonstrates adequate preparation in both of the aforementioned aspects object of the assessment. To achieve a high grade, the student must be able to link the different topics and know how to re-elaborate them personally, thus showing autonomy of study and judgment of the topics covered. The interview, on average, lasts about 20 minutes. The final grade will also take into account the evaluation of the reports related to the laboratory experiences.

1. PLANTS INTERACTIONS WITH THE TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

Interactions of plants with the atmosphere, hydrosphere and geosphere to support the terrestrial ecosystem.
Human impact on plants and ecosystems in the context of global food security and conservation of the natural environment.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH

“Resources”: light, carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, phosphorus, essential and beneficial elements;
“Stressors”: temperature, salinity, soil pH, drought, flooding.

3. RESPONSES AND ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS TO CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES

Plant responses to variations in the amount of light, CO2 concentration, availability of water, nitrogen, phosphorus and essential microelements.
Acclimation and tolerance responses of plants to high or low temperatures, acidic and basic soil pH, high salinity, drought and flooding. Focus on alpine plants, succulent xerophytic plants, carnivorous plants, plants tolerant to high/low temperatures and water stress, halophytes, aquatic macrophytes.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ABILITY

To be able to integrate the knowledge acquired through the theoretical and practical lessons with the ability developed individually to understand and analyze the responses of plants to progressively deeper variations of each environmental variable, from a molecular scale up to an ecological scale, in a hierarchical manner.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

To be able to associate the evolution of particular plant responses and adaptations to specific environmental variations, in relation to both unmanaged and managed ecosystems.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

To elaborate with clarity and rigor and summarize the contents of the discipline in a concise manner, using appropriate terms during the examination. At the same time, to be able to communicate phenomena and problems inherent to the topics of the course with non-experts.

AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT

To be able of critical analysis of the elements related to what acquired during the lessons and to interpret experimental results of plant physiology in the environmental field similar to those discussed in classroom.

LEARNING ABILITY

To be able to describe scientific issues related to environmental plant physiology. The students will develop this ability through their active involvement in reading of scientific texts and articles and subsequent oral discussions in the classroom.