23236 - Marine Phytobiology II

Academic Year 2007/2008

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LS) in Conservation and Management of Natural Heritage (cod. 0249)

Learning outcomes

To give basic knowledge of marine plant physiology relatively to the changing environment

Course contents

Marine plants and their environment, benthic and planktonic habitat.

Role of pigments in photosynthetic light harvesting and in photoprotection.

Main aspects of photosynthetic electron transport and of Calvin cycle; reserve products; organic excretion.

Photosynthesis in the marine environment: light; photosynthesis versus light intensity; sun-shade adaptations; CO2 sources; carbon concentrating mechanisms.

Nutrients: limiting factors; nutrient-limited growth; uptake kinetics; nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon utilization; trace elements; vitamins.

Temperature and salinity: effect on growth; adaptations to extreme values.

Growth rate estimates; seasonal growth rythms.

Physiological adaptations to the environment: phytoplankton buoyancy; seaweed tolerance to desiccation.

Readings/Bibliography

Alpi A., Pupillo P., Rigano C.

Fisiologia delle piante

EDISES

Falkowski P.G., Raven J.A.

Aquatic photosynthesis

Blackwell

Lobban C.S., Harrison P.J.

Seaweeds Ecology and Physiology

Cambridge University Press

Teaching methods

Power point presentation

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Teaching tools

Videoprojector for power point files

Office hours

See the website of Rossella Pistocchi