MORPHOFUNCTIONAL BOTANY

Course objectives

The objective of Morpho-functional Botany course is to provide a basic preparation on the structure and functions of plant cells and organisms aimed to acquiring the skills necessary for an integrated analysis of plant systems and their use in the environmental contexts. The specific objectives of the course are to provide theoretical / practical information for understanding the structure and functions of the plant cell and of the different levels of plant organization; to make students able to recognize fungal organizations and their role in ecosystems; to provide information for the understanding of reproduction processes in plants. Students who have passed the examination will be able to acquire the following skills: - to recognize the different levels of organization of the body of plant organisms; - to recognize the morpho-functional characteristics of plant cells; - to recognize meristematic, primary and secondary tissues of plants; - to recognize the structure and functions of the plant organs; - to recognize the cellular organization and the biological cycles of the main fungal phyla; - to be able to use the stereo-microscope and the light microscope; - to know cyto-histological techniques for the diagnosis of plant primary and secondary tissues; - to use the dichotomous analytical keys for taxonomic recognition of plants. Skills to be developed and expected learning outcomes: In relation to the Objectives of the Course, to provide a basic preparation in GENERAL BOTANY as a premise to subsequent analyzes and integrations of environmental systems and processes in plants. The main competence to be developed with the discipline is to provide the students with the basic training in Botany, which is necessary to enable them to acquire, with successive disciplines of greater specificity, an integrated competence of the environment aimed at promoting environmental quality and natural resources protection. Learning outcomes. Acquisition of the basic language of Botany and of the scientific learning method in biological disciplines, including experimental activities. Awareness of the interdisciplinarity of environmental studies for its systemic knowledge. Ability to apply simple experimental protocols for the diagnostic recognition of cells, tissues, pseudo-tissues and organs.

Channel 1
GIUSEPPINA FALASCA Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The teaching provides for 64 hours (8 Credits) of lectures, organized in 5 didatiche units, and 12 hours (1 credit) of laboratory activities. 1st Unit - Prokaryotic cell and plant eukaryotic cell (20 hours) Prokaryotes: bacteria in the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. Photosynthetic bacteria and Archea. Plant cytology: compartmentalization in the eucariotic plant cell. Mitosis and cytokinesis. Cytoskeleton. Middle lamella and plasmodesmata. Cell wall. Plastids and their conversion. Chloroplast structure and functions, photosynthesis in particular. Vacuole and its roles. Thallus and corm: organization and specialization. 2nd Unit - Vegetative and sexual reproduction of plants (10 hours). Alternation of generation in plants, role of mitosis and meiosis and metagenetic cycles. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in algae. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in bryophyte. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in algae. Vegetative and sexual reproduction (isospory and heterospory) in vascular plants. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in Spermatophyte. 3rd Unit - description of the fungi kingdom and plant divisions (28 hours) Fungi: Cytology, metabolism, and reproduction of Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes. Roles in the ecosystem, and biotechnological applications. Algae: Cytology in the main phyla, metabolism, and adaptation. Life in contact with air: adaptation in bryophytes and cormophytes. Water balance. Origin of the vascular system. Bryophytes: cytology, organization of the gametophyte and the sporophyte. Role as bioindicators. Tracheophytes: histology of tissues and organs. Primary meristems: apical and lateral meristems. Roles of the primary meristems in plant growth and development. Root, Stem and Leaves: anatomical structure, functions and adaptation in relation to environmental changes. Vascular Cryptogams: morpho-anatomy. Spermatophytes: ovule and seed formation in Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Secondary meristems: vascular and cork cambia and their activities. The secondary vascular structure in the stem and the root of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Gymnosperms: vegetative organs and reproduction in conifers. Pollen: evolutionary appearance and role in the sexual reproduction of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Angiosperms: morpo-functional features of vegetative and reproductive organs. Pollen: appearance and role in sexual reproduction of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. 4th Unit - Interactions between organisms (2 hours) Symbiosis: antagonism and mutualism in symbiosis. Mycorrhizae and their roles in plant development. Structure and functions of lichens. 5th Unit - Flower (4 hours) Flower: ontogenesis. Stamen: microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis in the anther. Pistil: macrosporogenesis and macrogametogenesis in the ovule. Pollination. Double fertilization. Fruit: ontogenesis and tissue organization. Seed: embryo formation in the seed, and adaptative role. Laboratory activities (12 hours) Methods in Plant Anatomy. Use of light and stereomicroscopes. Techniques for tissue excision and observation of thallophytes and vascular plants. Cytological staining for organelle and cell wall detection. Histological procedures for the identification of tissues from different plant organs.
Prerequisites
None, however, basic knowledge in inorganic chemistry is recommended
Books
J.D. Mauseth Botanica Botanica. Fondamenti di biologia delle piante. 2019 Editore Idelson Gnocchi.
Frequency
The attendance takes place face-to-face and it is not mandatory, but recommended
Exam mode
Oral examination with description of histological images observed during the laboratory exercises
Lesson mode
The course is delivered in the traditional way with frontal lessons (8CFU) and laboratory exercises (1CFU).
LAURA FATTORINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The teaching provides for 64 hours (8 Credits) of lectures, organized in 5 didatiche units, and 12 hours (1 credit) of laboratory activities. 1st Unit - Prokaryotic cell and plant eukaryotic cell (20 hours) Prokaryotes: bacteria in the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. Photosynthetic bacteria and Archea. Plant cytology: compartmentalization in the eucariotic plant cell. Mitosis and cytokinesis. Cytoskeleton. Middle lamella and plasmodesmata. Cell wall. Plastids and their conversion. Chloroplast structure and functions, photosynthesis in particular. Vacuole and its roles. Thallus and corm: organization and specialization. 2nd Unit - Vegetative and sexual reproduction of plants (10 hours). Alternation of generation in plants, role of mitosis and meiosis and metagenetic cycles. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in algae. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in bryophyte. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in algae. Vegetative and sexual reproduction (isospory and heterospory) in vascular plants. Sexual and vegetative reproduction in Spermatophyte. 3rd Unit - description of the fungi kingdom and plant divisions (28 hours) Fungi: Cytology, metabolism, and reproduction of Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes. Roles in the ecosystem, and biotechnological applications. Algae: Cytology in the main phyla, metabolism, and adaptation. Life in contact with air: adaptation in bryophytes and cormophytes. Water balance. Origin of the vascular system. Bryophytes: cytology, organization of the gametophyte and the sporophyte. Role as bioindicators. Tracheophytes: histology of tissues and organs. Primary meristems: apical and lateral meristems. Roles of the primary meristems in plant growth and development. Root, Stem and Leaves: anatomical structure, functions and adaptation in relation to environmental changes. Vascular Cryptogams: morpho-anatomy. Spermatophytes: ovule and seed formation in Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Secondary meristems: vascular and cork cambia and their activities. The secondary vascular structure in the stem and the root of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Gymnosperms: vegetative organs and reproduction in conifers. Pollen: evolutionary appearance and role in the sexual reproduction of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Angiosperms: morpo-functional features of vegetative and reproductive organs. Pollen: appearance and role in sexual reproduction of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. 4th Unit - Interactions between organisms (2 hours) Symbiosis: antagonism and mutualism in symbiosis. Mycorrhizae and their roles in plant development. Structure and functions of lichens. 5th Unit - Flower (4 hours) Flower: ontogenesis. Stamen: microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis in the anther. Pistil: macrosporogenesis and macrogametogenesis in the ovule. Pollination. Double fertilization. Fruit: ontogenesis and tissue organization. Seed: embryo formation in the seed, and adaptative role. Laboratory activities (12 hours) Methods in Plant Anatomy. Use of light and stereomicroscopes. Techniques for tissue excision and observation of thallophytes and vascular plants. Cytological staining for organelle and cell wall detection. Histological procedures for the identification of tissues from different plant organs.
Prerequisites
None, however, basic knowledge in inorganic chemistry is recommended
Books
J.D. Mauseth Botanica Botanica. Fondamenti di biologia delle piante. 2019 Editore Idelson Gnocchi.
Frequency
The attendance takes place face-to-face and it is not mandatory, but recommended
Exam mode
n the exams, questions are asked relating to the topics covered in lessons, furthermore images of plant organisms, organs, tissues and cellular organelles observed in the practical lessons must be recognised. Examples: - Nitrogen cycle -General characteristics of Algae -Metagenetic cycles of plant organisms - Structure and function of roots - Seed ......
Lesson mode
The course is delivered in the traditional way with frontal lessons (8CFU) and laboratory exercises (1CFU).
ALESSIO VALLETTA Lecturers' profile
  • Lesson code1016321
  • Academic year2024/2025
  • CourseEnvironmental Sciences
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDBIO/01
  • CFU9
  • Subject areaDiscipline biologiche