82428 - Phytogeography

Learning outcomes

At the end of the module, the student has basic knowledge in relation to the geographical distribution of plants, to vegetation dynamics and the main anthropogenic drivers. The student will get applicative skills in the floristic detection of the environment based on the chorological and biological spectrum of the flora. He will get the bases for a multitaxon approach to the study of vegetation including vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens.

Course contents

Introduction to biogeography

General patterns of biodiversity distribution (latitudinal and altitudinal) and mechanisms that determine them

Biogeographic regions and floristic kingdoms

Chorotypes of the Italian flora with particular focus on endemisms and allochthonous species

Functional aspects: life forms

Physiognomic and syntaxonomic classification of vegetation

Vegetation dynamics (fluctuations, primary and secondary successions)

Anthropogenic impacts on flora and vegetation: agriculture, forest management and climate change

Biogeographical regions, vegetation and habitat macro-categories in Italy (notes)

Identification laboratories of plants, lichens and bryophytes and preparation of a herbarium (samples of at least 100 species

Outdoor laboratories aimed at observing plant typologies and recognizing species typical of each typology

Readings/Bibliography

The teacher will provide the pdf files of scientific articles focused on the topics of each lesson, as well as the pdf of each lesson once the topic is completed.

will be provided as pdf

Pignatti S., 1994 - Ecologia del paesaggio

Blasi & Biondi - La Flora in Italia. Pdf Ministero Ambiente

Teaching methods

The teaching is based on lectures, laboratory activities for the identification of vascular plants, lichens and bryophytes and on the creation of outdoor laboratories aimed at observing different types of vegetation and its most typical species along natural and anthropogenic gradients. These three components are integrated in a functional way trying to stimulate the participation of the students and the interaction between them and the teacher, thus creating interest in the topics covered and an atmosphere of active and serene participation. The preparation of the herbarium is proposed to students as an opportunity to facilitate knowledge of the most common and typical species of different types of vegetation, from an ecological and distributional point of view. To further stimulate the interest of the students, seminars held by experts on topics closely related to the program may be included in the course. The seminars are also conceived as an opportunity for discussion and comparison. Finally, the practical activities are supported by the figure of a classroom tutor who assists the teacher by assisting the students in the phases of species identification and preparation of the herbarium.

In consideration of the types of activities and teaching methods adopted, the attendance of this training activity requires the performance of all students of modules 1 and 2 in e-learning mode and participation in module 3 of specific training on safety and health in the places of study. Information on dates and methods of attendance of module 3 can be consulted in the specific section of the degree program website.

Assessment methods

The learning level will be verified during an oral test contextual to the Plant Phylogenesis module.

The test includes the ecological-distributional discussion of the herbarium specimens, and the analysis of the topics covered during the course, stimulating the reasoning and the link between the topics.

The final grade is the mean value of the two parts that make up the exam (Fitogeografia and Filogenesi Vegetale). The achievement of a complete, organic and reasoned vision of the topics, together with the ability to express them appropriately, will be evaluated with marks of excellence. The knowledge mostly mechanical and mnemonic as well as little depth, and a capacity for expression not always appropriate, will lead to discrete evaluations. Minimal knowledge and inappropriate language will lead to sufficient evaluations. Serious gaps in knowledge and expression will lead to insufficient evaluations.

Teaching tools

Outdoor labs

Seminars

Indoor laboratories

Herbarium

Analysis of original sources

Office hours

See the website of Juri Nascimbene

See the website of Silvia Del Vecchio