OVERVIEW

The Marine Botany deals with the study of plant and fungi diversity in the marine and coastal environment, a key element in the formation of marine scientists.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to marine plants and their biology and ecology . The course will include training in the identification of the algae and seegrasses with emphasis on the major groups and species of Mediterranean Sea.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance and participation in the planned activities (lectures and lab activities) will allow the student to acquire the necessary knowledge to deal with studies in the field of the botany and marine mycology.

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

- describe the characteristics and indicate examples of the main groups of plants and marine fungi;

- identify the main fungal taxa;

- know the nomenclature and the most important diagnostic elements for the use of dichotomous keys for the identification of marine plant organisms;

- understand the biology of plant and fungal organisms with particular reference to the physiology of marine plants, at the cellular and organism level.

- illustrating the planes of marine vegetation, indicating the ecological characteristics, the indicator species and the most characteristic phytocoenosis.

- describe the main marine ecosystems and growth substrates where fungi can be or are present.

PREREQUISITES

The students are assumed to know: basic concepts and mechanisms of biology (cell, mitosis, meiosis, cell cycles, metagenetic cycles) and plant and fungal biology (in particular cell organelles, tissues and organs of plants)

TEACHING METHODS

The course includes lectures and laboratory activities. As activities are planned for the application of the acquired knowledge, practical and methodological activities, attendance at lectures and laboratory exercises is strongly recommended.
Lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations. The laboratory exercises are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the lectures and also constitute a self-assessment test.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course syllabus includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics.

Notes on Cyanophyta. Biology and diversity in Rhodophyta (main groups). Characteristics and diversity of Heterokontophyta, with particular regard to Diatoms and Phaeophyceae. Biology, structure, systematics and importance of Chlorophyta. Notes on the other main phytoplanktonic taxa. Characteristics of marine angiosperms with particular regard to the morphology, biology and importance of the species present in the Mediterranean Sea. Notes on the structure and function of marine plant communities. Notes on coastal vegetation (beaches, salt marshes, mangroves, etc.). What is meant by marine fungi, general traits and signs of systematics of fungi with particular reference to the taxa present in marine and coastal ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The slides of the lessons will be available on aulaweb. The notes take during the lessons can be the main basis for the preparation of the exam, but it is recommended to consult Algology, Marine Botany and Mycology texts to verify the completeness and correctness of the notes themselves and for any further information on the Topics covered:

Graham L.E., Graham J.M, Wilcox L.W., Cook M.E. 2016. Algae 3rd edition. LJLM Press. In formato elettronico (pdf) http://www.ljlmpress.com/algae.html (available for consultation at the Library of the School of Sciences of MFN)

- Dawes C.J., 1998 - Marine botany. John Wiley & Sons, New York. (available at the Library of the School of Sciences of MFN)

- Van den Hoek C., Mann D.G., Jahns H.M., 1995 - Algae. An Introduction to phycology. Cambridge University Press. (available at the Library of the School of Sciences of MFN)

Useful scientific-informative guides and atlases such as:

- Cabioc’h J., Floc’h J.Y, Le Toquin A., Boudouresque C.F., Meinesz A., Verlaque M., 1992 - Guide des Algues des Mers d’Europe. Delachaux et Niestlé. Neuchâtel, Paris.

-. Gareth J., Ka-Lai Pang, 2012. Marine Fungi: and Fungal Like Organisms. De Gruyter, Berlin.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIUSEPPINA ALBINA BARBERIS (President)

MIRCA ZOTTI (President)

ARMANDO CARPANETO

MAURO MARIOTTI

LUIGI MINUTO

CARLO ALESSANDRO MONTANARI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

For lessons start and timetable go to the following link:

https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is an oral assessment. The oral examination is focused on the questions on the topics of the program covered during the lectures and includes the recognition of a sample of important and / or common taxa of marine species.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Details on how to prepare for the exam and the degree of detail required for each topic will be provided at the beginning of the course and confirmed during lectures and exercises.
The oral exam is aimed at verifying the knowledge of the characteristics of the main marine, plant and fungal taxa, and the understanding of their biology; furthermore, the "eye" recognition of a sample serves to assess the knowledge of the main taxa and the ability to quickly identify the most important diagnostic elements in the sample.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Regular attendance at lectures and lab activities  is strongly recommended.