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NRES 725 – Plant Physiological Ecology. Spring 2006. Instructor: Bob Nowak. Office: FA 125. Office hours: Tuesdays 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Phone: 784-1656.
NRES 725 – Plant Physiological Ecology Spring 2006

Instructor: Bob Nowak Office: FA 125 Phone: 784-1656 Email: [email protected]

Office hours: Tuesdays 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM or by appointment

Class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:45 in WRB 1019 unless otherwise indicated. We will take one required field trip. Information about the course, handouts, and other documents for the course will be posted on the following web site: http://www.ag.unr.edu/nowak/PlantPhysEcol06.htm.

Topic Outline Date Jan 24 26, 31 Feb 2, 7 7, 9 14, 16 Feb 21

23 Feb 28

Mar 2

7, 9 Mar 14

Topic I) Water Balance of Plants A) Water potential B) Soil, plant, air continuum C) Physiological control 1) Roots and water uptake 2) Hydraulic conductivity 3) Stomatal conductance and transpiration Guest lecture: Dr. Richard Jasoni – “Evapotranspiration and Water Budgets in an Arid Environment” II) Carbon Balance of Plants A) C3, C4, and CAM photosynthesis Guest lecture: Dr. Mark Potosnak – "Isoprene emission from plants" Required reading: *Sharkey TD, Yeh SS (2001) Isoprene emission from plants. Annual Review of Plant Physiology And Plant Molecular Biology 52:407-436. Guest literature discussion: Dr. Mark Potosnak – "Coupling of plant isoprene production with the atmospheric environment" Required readings: *Rosenstiel TN, Potosnak MJ, Griffin KL, Fall R, Monson RK (2003) Increased CO2 uncouples growth from isoprene emission in an agriforest ecosystem. Nature 421:256259. *Rapparini F, Baraldi R, Miglietta F, Loreto F (2004) Isoprenoid emission in trees of Quercus pubescens and Quercus ilex with lifetime exposure to naturally high CO2 environment. Plant Cell And Environment 27:381-391. *Loreto F, Mannozzi M, Maris C, Nascetti P, Ferranti F, Pasqualini S (2001) Ozone quenching properties of isoprene and its antioxidant role in leaves. Plant Physiology 126:993-1000. B) Carbon gain in the environment 1) Leaf gas exchange Guest lecture: Dr. Richard Jasoni – “Principles of gas exchange from leaf to ecosystem levels”

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NRES 725: PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY

Date 16

Spring 2006

Topic

2) Canopy gas exchange First exam handed out – due 9:30 AM on March 30 Mar 18-20 REQUIRED FIELD TRIP • Nevada Desert Free-Air CO2 Enrichment Facility • Mojave Desert Global Change Facility • Yucca Mountain 21, 23 Spring break 28, 30 3) Water use efficiency Mar 30, Apr 4 C) Carbon allocation Mar 30 First exam turned in III) Nutrient Balance of Plants Apr 6 A) Macro- and micronutrients in plants 6, 11 B) Physiology and energetics of nutrient uptake 13, 25 C) Root physiological responses to nutrient uptake Apr 18 Guest lecture: Dr. Kim Allcock Apr 20 Guest lecture: Dr. Kim Allcock Apr 27, May 2 D) Root system growth and architecture May 2 Second exam handed out – due 7:30 AM on May 12 4 E) Mycorrhizal symbiosis 9 IV) Literature discussion sessions May 12 Final exam period: 7:30 – 9:30 AM Literature discussion sessions (cont.) Second exam turned in * indicates that article is available online through the UNR “electronic journals” web site

Course Objectives The primary objective of the course is to develop an understanding of the interrelationship between individual plants and the abiotic and biotic components of their environment. The course will focus on how plants function in their natural environment and will address the following questions: • What can plants do, given their physiological capacities and the constraints of the environment? • How do plants tolerate stress? What options are available to avoid or ameliorate stress? • How do plants acquire and allocate resources? What are the ecological consequences of their strategies? • To what extent do the physiological characteristics enhance ecological success? The format of the course consists of formal lectures and discussion sessions. The first 3 sections concern some abiotic factors in the environment and will examine: 1) water balance, i.e. how water moves from the soil through the plant into the air as well as the effects of drought; 2) plant carbon balance with an emphasis on how plants get carbon and what do they have to do with it and what can they do with it; and 3) plant nutrient relations with an overview of the availability of nutrients, nutrient uptake, and plant responses to nutrient deficiencies. The purpose of discussion sessions is to: • expose you to original (and often recent) literature. • help develop skills to critically read articles. • evaluate new ideas.

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NRES 725: PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY

Spring 2006

Grades A total of 80% of the grade will be from the 2 tests. Both tests will be take-home exams. The first exam will cover topic up to and including the day the exam is handed out. The second exam will primarily cover material that was presented after the first exam, but may also cover earlier material. Both exams will incorporate information presented by guest lecturers. Exam 1: Covers topics up to & including day handed out = 35% of grade Exam 2: Primarily topics since 1st exam plus earlier topics = 45% of grade Total = 80% A total of 20% of the grade will be based on the discussion portion of the course. Discussion sessions will be on current literature or review articles that expand some aspect of the material presented in class. Everyone is expected to read the assigned papers and to participate in the discussion. Grades will be based upon the instructor’s evaluation of each student’s participation in the discussions using criteria such as active involvement in the discussion, extent of contributions to the discussion, ability to stimulate the discussion, etc. Final grades will be assigned according to the following scale: A = >90% B = 80-90% C = 70-80% D = 60-70% F =