Environmental Botany and agronomy

Academic Year 2018/2019 - 1° Year
Teaching Staff
  • AGRONOMIA AMBIENTALE ED ECOLOGIA: Umberto Anastasi
  • Environmental Botany: Alessia Restuccia
Credit Value: 14
Taught classes: 70 hours
Exercise: 56 hours
Term / Semester:

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