Universidad de Jaén

THEORY PROGRAM

I. Plants in stress conditions

Lesson 1.- Introduction to Environmental Plant Physiology. Purpose and scope of study. Definition and types of stress in plants (biotic and abiotic stress)

Lesson 2.- Plant growth against stress. Analysis and plant productivity. Adaptation related to stress. 

II. Biotic stress

Lesson 3.- Interaction plant-plant. Allelopathy. Characteristics of allelopathies. Characteristics of allelopathies. Response of plants to allelopathies. Practical interest in the study of allelopathies.

Lesson 4.- Plant-herbivorous interaction. The plant as a source a food. Damage caused by herbivorous. Defensive mechanisms of the plant against herviborous.

Lesson 5.- Interaction plant microorganisms. Mycorrhizae. Types. Structure and physiology of the ectomycorrhizae and endomycorrhizae. Agricultural and ecology importance of this association. Biological fixation of nitrogen. Nitrogen fixing organisms. Nitrogenase. Importance of nitrogen nutrition.

Lesson 6.- Special physiological adaptations. Adaptations of carnivorous plants. Adaptations of ephytic plantas. Adaptations of aquatic plantas.

III.- Abiotic stress

Lesson 7.- Stress by high and low enviromental radiation.  Protection mechanisms. UVA Radiation stress. Protection mechanisms.

Lesson 8.- Extreme by extreme temperature. Defense mechanisms against heat. Heat shock proteins. Adaptations to xeric environmentsAdapt. Stress by low temperatures: cooling and freezing. Mechanisms of defense and survival. Adaptation to artic and alpine environmental.

Lesson 9.- Water stress. Types of drought. Adaptation mechanisms: escape, avoid and tolerance to stress. Stress due to flooding. Radical anaeribiosis. Response and adaptations.

Lesson 10.- Saline stress. Types and distribution of saline soils. Halophytes and glycophytes. Effect of high salinity on the plant. Adaptations to survive in saline environments. Practical interest of stress-tolerance species.

Lesson 11.- Oxidative stress. Formations of reactive oxygen species. Effect of oxidative stress on the physiology of the plants. Defensive protection.               

IV. Anthropogenic stress

Lesson 12(I).- Stress caused by atmospheric pollutans. Types and soruces of atmospheric contaminantes. Effect of air pollutin on the development of plants. Response of the plant to air pollution.

Lesson 12(II).- Pytotoxicity by heavy metals. Availability of heavy metals fo plants. Toxic effects on plants. Protection mechanisms against stress. The plant as indicators of pollution. Practical interest of phytorremediation.

PRACTICE PROGRAM 

Practice 1.- Study of positive and negative allelopathies in plants. Practical interest of agriculture.

Practice 2.- Experimental design to study tolerance to hydric and saline stress in crop species

Practice 3.- Study of production of secondary metabolites (phenols and tannis) in various plant species under stress.

Practice 4.- Project on plants used in phytorremediation for decontamination of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES

Preparation in small groups (2-3 persons) a study proposed by Professor. It will make a written presentation. It will be 6 session in the computer room (seminars and practices).

Theory class with 12 lessons and 26 one-hour classes. The lessons are divided into 4 parts:

I. Responses in environmental conditions (2 lessons).

II. Responses to environmental biotic factor (4 lessons).

III. Responses to environmental abiotic stress (5 lessons).

IV. Responses to environmetal pollutions and soil (2 lessons).

Practices of laboratory: it will be 5 practices of 4 hours.

Formative Activities: 3 seminars with oral exhibitions or writing of a theme of environmental plantas and 3 seminars in the informatic classroom about of environmental plants.

Students with special educational needs should contact the Student Attention Service (Servicio de Atención y Ayudas al Estudiante) in order to receive the appropriate academic support

If the course in not approved in the June announcement, the parts superated (theory, practices and seminars) will be saved in July. If  you fail to approve should be examined (of all parts) in the next annoucement.

S1: Attendance and participation will evaluate the competencies: CT3,CT6,CT7,CT9 and CT10.

S2: Theoretical concepts of matter will evaluate the competencies: CT1,CT3,CT6 and CT 10.

S3: works, cases and excercises will evaluate the competencies: CT1, CT2,CT3,CT4,CT8, CT9 and CT10.

S4: Laboratory or computer practices will evaluate the competencies: CT1,CT2,CT5,CT6,CT7,CT8,CT9,CT10,CE27 and CE28.

Complementary Activities: 3 seminars with oral and/ or written presentation of a subject proposed by Professor and 3 sessions in computer room to resolve problems about plants.