Course code Biol3016
Credit points 4.50
Total Hours in Course120
Number of hours for lectures16
Number of hours for laboratory classes32
Independent study hours72
Date of course confirmation16.03.2021
Responsible UnitInstitute of Forest Management
Dr. silv.
BiolB001 [GBIOB001] Forest Botany and Phytocenology
The students acquire knowledge of plant morphology, plant anatomy and plant systematics (classification and botanical nomenclature), connection of taxonomic units with forest ecosystems.
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.
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.
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).
Three colloquiums (lichens, mosses, horsetails, ferns, families of flowering plants): diagnostic characteristics of taxa, Latin and Latvian names, characterisation of ecology and geographical distribution.
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).
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/
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.
Latvijas Veģetācija (ISSN 1407-3641)
The course is included in the compulsory part of the Professional Bachelor’s degree programme Forest Engineer of the Forest Faculty, 1st semester.