A Xeobotánica ou Fitoxeografía é unha ciencia eminentemente integradora que trata de coñecer e racionalizar as relacións da vida vexetal coa súa contorna. Divídese en fitoxeografía, fitocenoloxía e fitoecoloxía. A fitoxeografía estuda todo o referente á localización da biodiversidade vexetal sobre a superficie terrestre. A fitocenoloxía céntrase en estudar as agrupaciones vexetais en sí mesmas e a fitoecoloxía ten posto seu punto de mira no estudo das relacións entre as plantas (autoecoloxía) ou comunidades vexetais (sinecoloxía) e os factores ambientais tanto bióticos como abióticos.
Study programme competencies
Code
Study programme competences
A1
Recoñecer distintos niveis de organización nos sistemas vivos.
A2
Identificar organismos.
A4
Obter, manexar, conservar e observar especímenes.
A6
Catalogar, avaliar e xestionar recursos naturais.
A11
Identificar e analizar material de orixe biolóxica e as súas anomalías.
A19
Analizar e interpretar o comportamento dous seres vivos.
A20
Muestrear, caracterizar e manexar poboacións e comunidades.
A22
Describir, analizar, avaliar e planificar o medio físico.
A24
Xestionar, conservar e restaurar poboacións e ecosistemas.
A27
Dirixir, redactar e executar proxectos en Bioloxía.
A29
Impartir coñecementos de Bioloxía.
A30
Manexar adecuadamente instrumentación científica.
A31
Desenvolverse con seguridade nun laboratorio.
A32
Desenvolverse con seguridade no traballo de campo.
B1
Aprender a aprender.
B2
Resolver problemas de forma efectiva.
B3
Aplicar un pensamento crítico, lóxico e creativo.
B4
Traballar de forma autónoma con iniciativa.
B5
Traballar en colaboración.
B6
Organizar e planificar o traballo.
B7
Comunicarse de maneira efectiva nunha contorna de traballo.
B8
Sintetizar a información.
B9
Formarse unha opinión propia.
B12
Adaptarse a novas situacións.
C1
Expresarse correctamente, tanto de forma oral coma escrita, nas linguas oficiais da comunidade autónoma.
C3
Utilizar as ferramentas básicas das tecnoloxías da información e as comunicacións (TIC) necesarias para o exercicio da súa profesión e para a aprendizaxe ao longo da súa vida.
C4
Desenvolverse para o exercicio dunha cidadanía aberta, culta, crítica, comprometida, democrática e solidaria, capaz de analizar a realidade, diagnosticar problemas, formular e implantar solucións baseadas no coñecemento e orientadas ao ben común.
Learning aims
Learning outcomes
Study programme competences
- Understanding the relationship between plants and algae and their environment.
A1 A19 A22 A27 A29
B1 B4 B8
- Knowing the diversity of terrestrial and marine plant/algae communities.
A1 A2 A19 A27 A29
B1 B4
- Acquiring skills for the observation, description and identification of plant/algae communities.
A1 A2 A6 A11 A20 A22 A27 A29 A30 A32
B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B8
C1 C3
- Acquiring skills for the critical management of bibliography and other sources of information.
A27
B1 B4 B8 B9
C3
- Learning basic field and laboratory procedures for the reconnaisance and inventory of plant/algae communities.
A1 A2 A4 A6 A20 A22 A27 A29 A30 A31 A32
B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B12
- Encourage students to further research and study Plant Geography as an integrative science essential to their development as field biologists.
B1 B3 B9
C4
- Understanding the diversity of plant/algae communities in their surroundings and their great floristic and biogeographic value.
A1 A24 A27 A29
B1 B9
C4
Contents
Topic
Sub-topic
Lectures 1: Introduction
1. Geobotany and Plant Geography. Links with other biological sciences.
Lectures 2: Phytochorology and Phytocoenology (Plant Geography and Ecology)
2. Plant geographical distribution areas; typology. Cosmopolitism. Edemicity. Migration routes and relict elements. Chorology. Molecular methods in the study of plant chorology and biogeography.
3. Biogeographic areas. Typology of land phytocoenosis (plant communities). The Holarctic Kingdom. Delimitation and bioclimatic characterization. Biogeographic units in the North Atlantic. Oceanographic delimitation and characterization.
4. Vegetation structure. Physical structure; vertical and horizontal structure. Biological structure. Vegetation dynamics. Plant succession and vegetation series. Potential vegetation (climax community). Degradation and secondary succession. Progressive and regressive series.
5. Methodology for the study and classification of plant communities. Historic background. Physiognomic method. Sigmatism.
Lectures 3: Land vegetation
6. The Holarctic Kingdom. Vegetation of the Eurosiberian, Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions.
7. The Iberian Peninsula. Eurosiberian region; chorological provinces. Delimitation and bioclimatic characterization. Relevant and characteristic plant communities. Mediterranean region; chorological provinces. Delimitation and bioclimatic characterization. Relevant and characteristic plant communities.
8. Vegetation in Galicia; characterization. Forests, characteristics and phytosociology. Class Pino-Juniperetea. Class Querco-Fagetea. Class Quercetea ilicis.
9. Forests, characteristics and phytosociology. Class Cytisetea scopario-striatii. Class Calluno-Ulicetea and Class Cisto-Lavanduletea.
10. Plants at the margins. Coastline vegetation. Hygrophilous and hydrophylous vegetation. Saxicolous vegetation. Ruderal plant communities.
Lectures 4: Introduction to marine vegetation
11. Vegetation in the sea. Introduction, main features and differences with the land. Divisions in the marine environments. Ecological factors that influence on the distribution of the marine phytobenthos. Physical, chemical and biological factors affecting the marine phytobenthos.
12. Phytobenthonic ecology. Biological forms, life cycles and adaptations to the marine environment. Main features of the phytobenthonic communities.
13. Biogeography of marine organisms. Vertical and horizontal dimensions in the distribution of marine vegetation. Succession in marine plant communities.
14. Benthic marine vegetation in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Benthic vegetation in Galicia. Coastline typology and main vegetation units.
Seminars
- Introduction to the analysis of floristic inventories.
- Ordination and classification of inventories from marine (algae) and land plant communities.
- Analysis of the physical, biological and chorological structure in marine (algae) and land plant communities.
- Methodology of phenological studies.
Laboratory sessions
- Field sessions to work in the recognison and in situ analysis (floristic inventories) of plant and algae communities.
- Lab sessions working on the identification of the samples collected in the field.
Case studies
- Comprehensive study of the flora and vegetation of a previously selected territory.
- Phenological studies on selected plants from "Monte da Fraga"
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.
Methodologies
Methodologies
Description
Case study
The students (in pairs or small groups) will identify and mapthe different plant communities in an area chosen by the teachers. Subsequently, they will write a report including all their findings as well as a complete inventory of the different communities. This report will be submitted as the final task of the course.
Field trip
Short fieldwork sessions will be conducted in nearby areas practice the different basic methods of vegetation analysis. Special attention will be paid to frequent vegetation types in Galicia: forests, coastal shrublands, etc.
Laboratory practice
The students will use the laboratory sessions for the study and identification of the samples taken while conducting their case study.
Guest lecture / keynote speech
The teachers will introduce the basic concepts of the course presentations and other resources that will be available to the students.
Seminar
During the seminars, the students will become familiar with some basic computer methods for vegetation ordination, classification and analysis. In these seminars, the students will use the data generated by them in the field and also data provide by the teachers. Seminars are oriented to the completion of the case study.
Personalized attention
Methodologies
Guest lecture / keynote speech
Seminar
Case study
Laboratory practice
Field trip
Description
Guidance will be available to the students in order to solve possible doubts or problems that might arise during the course. Ideally, the student should make appointments with the lecturers by e-mail.
Assessment
Methodologies
Competencies
Description
Qualification
Guest lecture / keynote speech
A1 A19 A22 A24 A27 A29 B1 B3 B4 B7 C3
The students will take a written exam to demonstrate that they have acquired the contents of the course.
Different aspects will be considered in the assessment of the case study report: its structure, the quality of the data generated and of the data analysis and discussion. Presentation will also be assessed by the teachers.
40
Laboratory practice
A2 A4 A11 A29 A30 A31 B1 B4 B5 B7 C3
Attendance and participation will be valued.
5
Field trip
A32 B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 B7
Attendance and participation will be valued.
5
Assessment comments
<p>In order to pass the course in the first opportunity, the student will have to participate in at least 70% of the programmed activities. In addition to this, the student will have to obtain a score of 4/10 in the final exam. In the second opportunity (july), the student will take a new written exam (60% of the final grade) and they will also take a practical exam involving plant and community identification and work with community inventories (40% of the final grade). In the cases where the student has succesfully completed the report in the first opportunity, this practical exam can be waived (depending on the quality of the report).</p><p>Qualifications obtained in one course will not be kept for the following one. In order to be qualified as "non presentado" the student must not have participated in activities that are worth more than 30% of the final grade of the course. Part-time students or students who participate in equality and diversity
support programs are welcome to participate in this subject. The
teachers will adapt the different compulsory activities in order to
enable these students to fulfill the aims of the course. </p>
Sources of information
Basic
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
Bellot,Francisco (Ed.) (1978) El tapiz vegetal de la Península Ibérica. 4ª ed. Blume, Madrid. 423 pp.
Braune, W. & M.D. Guiry (2011) Seaweeds: A colour guide to common benthic green, brown and red algae of the world’s oceans. Gantner Verlag.
Braun-Blanquet,J (1979) Fitosociología. 4ª ed. Blume, Madrid. 544 pp.
Cabioc'h, J., J. Floc'h, A. Toquin, C.F. Le, Ch.-F. Bouduresque, A. Meinesz & M. Verlaque (2006) Guía de las algas del Atlántico y del Mediterráneo. Omega, Madrid.
Cox, C.B. & Moore, P.D. (2010) Biogeography: an ecological and evolutionary approach. 8th ed. Hoboken, NJ. Wiley.
Dawes, C.J. (1997) Marine Botany. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.
Ehrendorfer, F. (1986). Geobotánica. In: Strasburger, Tratado de Botánica. 7ª ed. española. Marín, Barcelona, 757-914.
Feldmann, J. (1989) Las Algas, 97-324. In: Abbayes, H. des, M. Chadefaud, J. Feldmann, Y. de Ferré, H. Gaussen, P.-P. Grassé & A.R. Prévot. Botánica vegetales inferiores. Ed. Reverté, Barcelona.
Good, R. (1974) The geography of the flowering plants. 4ª ed. Longman, London. 557 pp.
Green, E.P. & F.T. Short (2003) World Atlas of Seagrasses. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. University of California Press, Berkely. 298 pp.
Hartog, C. den (1970) The Sea grasses of the world. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 272 pp.
Huetz de Lemps, A. (1983) La vegetación de la tierra. Akal, Madrid. 263 pp.
Ozenda, P. (1994) Végétation du Continent Européen. Delachaux et Niestlé, Lausanne & Paris. 271 pp.
Peinado Lorca, M.; Rivas-Martínez, S. (Eds.) (1987) La vegetación de España. 4ª ed. Colección Aula Abierta - Univ. Alcalá de Henares, Madrid. 544 pp.
Polunin, O.; Walters, M. (1989) Guía de la vegetación de Europa. 1ª ed. en Español. Ediciones Omega S.A., Barcelona. 236 + 170pl pp.
Smith, R.L. (1990): Ecology and Field Biology. 4ª ed. Harper Collins Publishers, New York.
Complementary
Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before
Introduction to Botany: General Botany/610G02023
Plant Systematics: Cryptogamia/610G02024
Plant Systematics: Phanerogamia/610G02025
Ecology I: Individuals and Ecosystems/610G02039
Ecology II: Populations and Communities/610G02040
Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously
Subjects that continue the syllabus
Other comments
<p> O número e localidades onde se realizarán as saídas ó campo estarán
en función do número de alumnos matriculados e a dispoñibilidade de
medios de transporte para efectualas. </p>
(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.