LV EN RU DE FR

Forest Botany and Phytocenology

Course developer

Replaced course

BiolB001 [GBIOB001] Forest Botany and Phytocenology

Course abstract

The students acquire knowledge of plant morphology, plant anatomy and plant systematics (classification and botanical nomenclature), connection of taxonomic units with forest ecosystems.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Knowledge of – taxa morfology, biology and ecology of forest ecosystem and their role in plant communities, their geographical occurrence and floristic status in Latvia – Tests 1 and 2.
2. Skills - to analyze and evaluate the morphological features of plants, to determine their taxonomic value, identify taxa and characterise their conditions of growth. Colloquiums – 1. – 3.
3. Competence – to evaluate and explain the expressions of the interaction of plant taxa and the environment, to discuss the suitability of the taxon to ecological conditions, to determine the type of forest growth conditions by vegetation – Colloquiums 1. – 3.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Botany – one of the subjects of life sciences. Division of organic world. Characterisation of plant kingdom.
2. Plant cell and tissues.
3. Plant morphology (vegetative and generative organs) – 6 h
Test 1: Vegetative organs of plants.
4. Plant geography – 2 h
Test 2: Generative organs of plants.
5. Latvia’s vegetation (classification of forest plant community, plant community description methods, main syntaxa) – 3 h
6. Plant systematics. Botanical nomenclature. Bacteria, algae and fungi – their characterisation and importance in the forest ecosystem – 3 h
Laboratory work
7. Lichens, mosses, club mosses, horsetails, ferns - division, characterisation and importance-6 h
8. Flowering plants (Dycotiledons: Ranunculaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae, Brassicaceae, Leguminosae, Apiaceae) – 10 h
Colloquium 1: Ranunculaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae, Brassicaceae, Leguminosae, Apiaceae taxa.
1. Flowering plants (Dycotiledons: Solonaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae) – 10 h
Colloquium 2: Solonaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae taxa.
2. Flowering plants (Monocotyledons: Liliaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae,) – 6 h
Colloquium 3: Liliaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae taxa.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Two successfully written tests and three colloquiums passed (orally).
Written exam. The examination assignment consists of:
 Two questions from plant morphology, anatomy and geography section,
 One question from plant systematics section (family characteristics, characteristic species, importance of family).

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Three colloquiums (lichens, mosses, horsetails, ferns, families of flowering plants): diagnostic characteristics of taxa, Latin and Latvian names, characterisation of ecology and geographical distribution.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

1. Colloquiums are assessed according to the required procedure (plants should be recognized, their Latin and Latvian names as well as their ecology should be learnt). 2. If the test and colloquium grades are 7 or higher, the examination is not compulsory; the examination grade equals the arithmetic mean of the grades of the tests and colloquiums. 3. The examination grade is the arithmetic mean of the examination grade and the arithmetic mean of the semester’s grade (calculated as the arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in tests and colloquiums).

Compulsory reading

1. Ābele G., Piterāns A. Augstāko augu morfoloģijas un sistemātikas praktikums. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1982. 222 lpp.
2. Kondratovičs R. Augu anatomijas praktikums. Rīga, Zvaigzne, 1976. 279 lpp
3. Priedītis N. Latvijas augi. Rīga: Gandrs. 888 lpp.
http://www.latvijasdaba.lv/augi/

Further reading

1. Pētersone A, Birkmane K. Latvijas PSR augu noteicējs. 2. pārstrād. izdevums. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1980. 590 lpp.
2. Gavrilova Ģ., Šulcs V. Latvijas vaskulāro augu flora: taksonu saraksts. Rīga: Latv. Akad. b-ka, 1999. 136 lpp
3. Latvijas vaskulāro augu flora. Atb. red. V. Šulcs. [1-5]-13. Rīga: LU Bioloģijas institūts, 1999-2015.
4. Meža tipoloģija: mācību līdzeklis. Liepa I., Miezīte O., Luguza S., Šulcs V., Straupe I., Indriksons A. u.c. Jelgava: Studentu biedrība "Šalkone", 2014. 118 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

Latvijas Veģetācija (ISSN 1407-3641)

Notes

The course is included in the compulsory part of the Professional Bachelor’s degree programme Forest Engineer of the Forest Faculty, 1st semester.