Environmental Botany and agronomy

Learning Objectives

• AGRONOMIA AMBIENTALE ED ECOLOGIA

  The aim of the course is to guide students to learn basic knowledge and to acquire skills on the relationship between agriculture and environment through the study of the structure and functions of ecosystems, the organization and ecological design of agro-systems aimed at planning of crop production and the preservation of the territory in Mediterranean-type environment.

• Environmental Botany

  The course aims to provide information about systematics, phylogenetics, taxonomic categories and botanical nomenclature, morphology, biology and ecology of Spermatophyta, environmental factors that regulate plants distribution, world plant formations and plant associations of the Mediterranean landscape. The student will acquire knowledge about plant cell, structure and morphology of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, bioclimatic indices, phytoclimatic classifications, ecomorphology, plant life forms, geographical distribution of plant species, phytocoenosis and methodology for vegetation survey.

Course Structure

• AGRONOMIA AMBIENTALE ED ECOLOGIA

  Lessons. Hands-on activities.

• Environmental Botany

  Frontal lessons

Detailed Course Content

• AGRONOMIA AMBIENTALE ED ECOLOGIA

  Presentation of the course. Basic knowledge of systems theory. Epistemological basis of ecology, Environment-Agriculture relationship. Agronomy and Agroecology.

  The ecosystem: structure, functions and evolution. Climax concept.

  From the ecosystem to the agrosystem. Analysis of relationships between the abiotic, merobiotic and biotic components of the agrosystem, and its hierarchical organization (field, farm and territory scale). Effects of anthropic action on the agrosystem. Yield and productive response (quanti-qualitative) of crops to agronomic factors. Ecosystem services (interrelations, examples and payments); the socio-ecosystems.

  The natural factors of plant production (soil, atmosphere, crops): characteristics, functions, agronomic management. Further details on: agroecological role of livestock; climate change (causes, impact, adaptation and mitigation strategies); Mediterranean-type environment (resources and limitations); agroecological role of agrobiodiversity; biotechnology and GMOs, and energy crops (importance and scientific criticism).

  The crisis of modern agriculture and scenarios for the transition to sustainability. Comparison between conventional and conservative farming models (organic and biodynamic). The design of resilient agricultural systems.

  The planning of agrosystems on a territorial scale: models, methods and analytical tools.

• Environmental Botany

  The prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell

  The plant cell and cycle

  Evolution and systematic

  The Spermatophyta: Gymnosperms and Angiosperms

  general characteristics, reproduction and systematic

  Climate and soil

  Main bioclimatic indices and classifications

  Ecomorphology

  Biological forms and growth forms

  Geographical distribution of plant species

  Areal

  Phytocoenoses

  Vegetation analysis

Textbook Information

• AGRONOMIA AMBIENTALE ED ECOLOGIA

  1. Ceccon P., Fagnano M. Grignani C., Monti M., Orlandini S. - Agronomia. EdiSES Ed. 2017.

  2. Caporali F., Campiglia E., Mancinelli R. - Agroecologia. Teoria e pratica degli agroecosistemi. CittàStudi Ed. 2014.

  3. Altieri M.A., Nicholls C.I., Ponti L. - Agroecologia. Una via percorribile per un pianeta in crisi. Edagricole Ed. 2015.

  4. Sussidi didattici forniti dal docente (presentazioni ppt delle lezioni, documenti sugli argomenti trattati).

• Environmental Botany

  1. Biologia delle piante – T.L. Rost, M.G. Barbour, C.R. Stocking, T.M. Murphy - Zanichelli
  2. Ecologia vegetale – Sandro Pignatti – UTET
  Teacher's notes