4 ECTS Prague Year 2 Semester 3 Compulsory Environmental sciences ICI015E
Content
The course is devoted to familiarize students with range of tropical and subtropical woody plants, their taxonomic identification, uses, ecology, and production systems of selected species. Students will have the opportunity to study theory and practice of predetermination techniques a procedure to recognize tropical plant families by means of simple, fresh characteristics of non-reproductive organs (e.g. leaves, twigs, bark, odors, tastes, exudates, buttresses, etc). The course takes account of interdisciplinary approach and relationships with allied branches like taxonomic botany, forestry, biodiversity, ecology, agroforestry and ethnobotany.
Course contents
Seminars/Labs:
- Dendrological terminology and sources of information on tropical plant taxonomy
- Key morphological characters of tropical woody plants
- Morphological characters of root and trunk
- Morphological characters of branches and leaves
- Morphological characters of flowers and fruits
- Other important characters: exudates, colour, odour
- Fundamentals of tropical woody plants’ taxonomy: classification, nomenclature, most common families; floristic overview of different tropical regions (SE Asia, Latin America, Africa)
- What is a herbarium? Collection, preparation and cataloguing of herbarium voucher specimens
- Practical collection and herbarium voucher specimen processing; special herbarium technics
- Excursion to herbaria
- Practical identification of tropical woody plants’ samples and taxon description including practical use of dendrological literature: keys, atlases, scientific articles
- Living plant collection excursion; economically important species tropical woody species.
Learning outcomes
The student know how to use the acquired expertise in orientation in the system of tropical woody plant families. They are familiar with taxonomic classification of principal, and most widely distributed species. They know the methodological procedures for the collection, processing and cataloging herbarium specimens. They are able to work with the taxonomic literature and databases. They have a background on ecological and economic importance of selected species.
The graduate is able to continue in self-education, improve his knowledge and monitor the sources of scientific information in the field. He knows how to gather information to evaluate the situation in an unknown and changing environment. He is able to assess critically his own knowledge and is ready for further education in that subject. He is prepared to direct others in search of educational needs in a given subject
Teaching and learning methods
Seminars
Type of assessment
- Individual
- Written exam
Institution(s)
- Location : Prague
- ECTS granting : Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague
- Organisation : Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague
Webpage(s)
Coordinator(s)
Zbyněk Polesný
