OVERVIEW

“Environmental botany” includes the study of plants distribution, their adaptive strategies, the use of resources, the interrelationships with the environment.  In particular it concerns wild plants as well as plants used in agriculture, forestry or with other ethnological interest. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES (FURTHER INFO)

Investigate themes concerning plant ecology and vegetation analysis, focusing on Ligurian environments. 
The students will recognize the main ecological factors that influence the  life and the distribution of plants, as well as the complex relationships among plants and other forms of life.  Significant Italian vegetation types will be illustrated. Examples of possible applications to the profession of landscape architects will be pointed out during the lectures. 

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Analysis of ecological and botanical elements of a plant community. Concepts: plant community; population; physical environment; physiographic factors; edaphic factors; biological factors. European and Italian climatic regions. Phytoclimatology. Ombrothermic diagram. Evapotranspiration. Water deficit. Regionalization of climate data. 
Soil and its evolution. Texture and porosity. Soil chemistry and nutrients. The organic component of the soil. Humus. pH. Water in the soil.
Population. Variations over time. Structure of the population. Habitat. specific genetic diversity and diversity. spatial distribution. Ecotones.
Forestry. Arboreal population. Developmental stages of the tree topsoil. Reforestation. Forms of forest governance. Particular types pollarding of historical interest.
Concept of vegetation. Natural, potential and actual vegetation. Vegetation analysis. Vertical and horizontal structure. Physiognomical and phytosociological study of the vegetation.
Primary and secondary successions. Vegetation dynamics. Paleoecology. 
Main types of vegetation in Liguria:

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

BRUNA ILDE MENOZZI (President)

ADRIANA GHERSI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

22th February 2017

Class schedule

ENVIRONMENTAL BOTANY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination

Exam schedule