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Forest Botany and Dendrology

Course developer

Course abstract

Students study vascular plant morphology and systematics, importance of morphological features in plant classification; they study major economically important taxa, their diagnostics features, ecology, their significance in vegetation and their usage.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

During the internship, the student strengthens knowledge in nature about woody plants growing in the wild in Latvia, as well as more often planted in greenery, is able to judge the taxonomic belonging of each woody plant according to the morphological signs of woody plants and possesses competence
to associate individual taxa with growing conditions - both different forest types and suitability in greenery (at the end of each day of practice, knowledge, skills and competences are tested by taking a colloquium, assessment incl./not incl.).
• Knowledge about the forest taxa, morphology, biology, ecology and their significance in the ecosystems, their migration, geographical occurrence and floristic status in Latvia.
• Skills to analyze and evaluate the morphological features of the woody plants, to
evaluate their taxonomic value and to identify taxa. • Competence to evaluate and justify the expressions of the interaction of woody plants taxa and the environment, to discuss the suitability of the taxon to the particular ecological conditions.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Day 1. Principles of plant determination. Methods for describing forest vegetation. Bog vegetation.– 8 h.
2. Day 2.– The floristic composition of forests not significantly affected by man. Floristic composition of ravine forests 1st colloquium (according to the route in nature) – 8 h..
3. Day 3. Floristic composition of drained forests. 2nd colloquium (according to the route in nature) – 8 h
4. Day 4. Floristic composition of floodplain forests. The vegetation of the seaside dune forests, its floristic composition. 3rd colloquium (according to the route in nature) – 8 h.
5. Day 5. Dendroflora of dry forests 8 h.
6. Day 6: Wetland forest dendroflora 8 h..
7. Day 7. Woody plants in anthropogenically affected forest ecosystems (arenas, peatlands). 8 h.
8. Day 8.– Woody plants in swamps and swamp ecosystems in Latvia 8h
9. Day 9. Woody plants, introduced, invasive woody plants found in urban areas 8h
10. Day 10. Defense of individual herbarium (prepared before practice) and submission of practice protocols; test – 9 h.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Submitted and positively evaluated individual herbarium, submitted practice documents, obtained test on practice - passed.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

3 post-field trip colloquiums (vascular plants, lichen and moss of the forests significantly unaffected by people and drained forests) – diagnostic characteristics of taxa, their Latvian and Latin names.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Positive evaluation of individual herbarium (if the herbarium is prepared and made according to the requirements). The colloquiums are evaluated according to the required procedure (the plants should be recognized; their Latin and Latvian names should be learnt).

Compulsory reading

1. Pētersone A., Birkmane K. Latvijas PSR augu noteicējs. Rīga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1980. 589 lpp.
2. Straupe I., Indriksons A., Kazāka. Koki, krūmi un zemsedzes augi Latvijas mežaudzēs.Jelgava: LLU, Studentu biedrība «Šalkone», 2014.178+1 lpp.
3. Gavrilova Ģ., Šulcs V. Latvijas vaskulāro augu flora: taksonu saraksts. Rīga: Latv. Akad. b-ka, 1999. 136 lpp.
4. Latvijas vaskulāro augu flora. Atb. red. V. Šulcs. [1-5]-13. Rīga: LU Bioloģijas institūts, 1999-2015.
5. Āboliņa A., Vimba E. Latvijas PSR mežu ķērpju un sūnu noteicējs. Rīga: LVI, 1959. 109+2 lpp. 6.Āboliņa A., Piterāns A., Bambe B. Latvijas ķērpji un sūnas: taksonu saraksts. Salaspils: Latvijas Valsts mežzinātnes institūts „Silava”, DU AA „Saule”, 2015. 213 lpp.
6. Mauriņš A., Zvirgzds A. Dendroloģija. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 2006. 447 lpp.
7. Lange V., Mauriņš A., Zvirgzds A. Dendroloģija. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1978. 304 lpp.

Further reading

1. Āboliņa A. Meža sūnas. Rīga: LAK, 1965. 157 lpp.
2. Strazdiņa L., Liepiņa L., Mežaka A., Madžule L. Sūnu ceļvedis dabas pētniekiem.
Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2011. 126 lpp. 3.Galeniece M., Tabaka L. Latvijas PSR sfagnu sūnu noteicējs. Rīga: ZAI. 1962. 109 lpp.
Svilāns A. Eksotiskie koki un krūmi Latvijas dārziem. Rīga: Jumava, 2018. 96 lpp. 2.Mauriņš A. Saistošā dendroloģija. Rīga: Liesma, 1973. 184 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1.Priedītis N. Latvijas augi. Rīga: Gandrs. 888 lpp. http://www.latvijasdaba.lv/augi/

Notes

The study course is included in the compulsory part of the academic education bachelor's study program "Forest Science".