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GEOBOTANY APPLICATION
SIMONE PESARESI

Seat Agraria
A.A. A.A. 2016-2017
Credits 6
Hours 54
Period 2^ semestre
Language ENG
U-gov code LIB-L-STA-SFA 3A559

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge in biology

Development of the course

The course includes theoretical lessons with multimedia files (4 ECTS) as well as practical exercises (with R software) and study visits (2 ECTS).

 

Learning outcomes

Knowledge.

The course enables students to acquire the basic knowledge of Numerical Ecology applied to geobotanical data.

 

Applying knowledge and understanding.

The course enables students to properly apply the main Numerical Ecology techniques useful to describe, model and spatialize the environmental-vegetation relationships (at species and plant community level). Those analysis are required for many aspects of environmental research, resource management, and conservation planning as biodiversity assessment.

 

Cross-expertise.

The theoretical and practical knowledge acquired by the students are very useful not only for the geobotany and plant communities investigations but also for any other eco-discipline.

 

Program

1. Geobotany introduction.

Plant communities and the factors influencing. Vegetation mapping (1 ECTS).

2. Numerical ecology applied to plant communities.

Ecological descriptors. Ecological multidimensional space.

Ecological resemblance (Similarity, distance and dependence coeffiencients).

Cluster analysis (fuzzy, hard, supervised e unsupervised). Ecological interpretation of clustering results. Species Indicator Analysis.

Ecological and plant communities gradients. Ecological and plant communities data ordination. (Indirect and direct gradient analysis). Ecological interpretation of ordination results. (3 ECTS).

3. Practical exercises (in R software) and study visits (2 ECTS)

Development of the examination

Learning evaluation methods

Oral discussion on the subjects listed in the teaching program.

 

Learning evaluation criteria

Knowledge of the topics listed in the program and appropriateness of the technical-scientific language.

 

Learning measurement criteria

The final vote is attributed in thirtieths.

 

Final mark allocation criteria

The oral examination consists of three questions concerning the subjects listed in the teaching program, each of ones will be quantified in the range 0 - 10.

 

Recommended reading

PEDROTTI F. e VENANZONI R. - Geobotanica, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze. De Agostini, Novara.

ZUUR, A.F., IENO, E.N. & SMITH, G.M. (2007) Analysing Ecological Data. Springer, New York.

PIGNATTI S. - Ecologia vegetale. Zanichelli, Bologna.

PODANI J. (2007) – Analisi ed esplorazione multivariata dei dati in Ecologia e Biologia. Liguori Editore S.r.l, Napoli

 

 

Tutorial session

 

Friday from 2 pm to 4 pm.

 

Courses

• C.L.T. - Scienze Forestali ed Ambientali (SFA)