PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY -- ERS 725 - College of ...

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NRES 725 – Plant Physiological Ecology. Spring 2013. Instructor: Bob .... NOTE: This course uses the plus/minus system of grading. Academic Dishonesty ...
NRES 725 – Plant Physiological Ecology Spring 2013

Instructor: Office: Phone: Email:

Bob Nowak FA 125 784-1656 [email protected]

Office hours: Mondays & Wednesdays 11 - Noon or by appointment

Class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00– 2:15 PM in MS 301 unless otherwise indicated. 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/PlantPhysEcol13.aspx. The format of the course consists of formal lectures and discussion sessions. The first 5 sections concern some abiotic factors in the environment and will examine: (1) plant energy balance with an emphasis on how plants can affect their tissue temperature and tolerate extreme temperatures: (2) plant carbon balance with an emphasis on how plants get carbon, especially in natural, stressful environments; (3) plant nutrient relations with an overview of mechanisms of nutrient uptake and how plants respond to nutrient availability; (4) plant water balance, including how water moves from the soil through the plant into the air as well as the effects of drought; and (5) how plants respond to high soil salinity, including mechanisms that plants have to cope with high contents of salts in the soil. I will also include some background and information on techniques used to quantify physiological processes in the natural environment. The last section of the course is a series of discussion sessions. 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. More details about the discussion section will be handed out near the middle of the course. Topic Outline Week Topic and Readings Jan 23 Course introduction Energy balance of plants • Energy balance components • Leaf temperature 30 Energy balance of plants • Low temperature tolerance • High temperature tolerance Feb 4 Carbon balance of plants • Photosynthesis • Photosynthetic pathways 11 Carbon balance of plants • Leaf & plant C gain in the natural environment 18 PRESIDENT”S DAY HOLIDAY

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NRES 725: PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY

Spring 2013

Week Topic and Readings 20 Carbon balance of plants • Measurement techniques First exam handed out – due week of March 25 Mar 4 Guest lectures (TBA) 11 Nutrient balance of plants • Physiology and energetics of nutrient uptake 18 SPRING BREAK 25 Nutrient balance of plants • Responses to nutrient availability First exam turned in Apr 1 Water balance of plants • Water potential • SPAC Apr 8 Guest lectures (TBA) 15 Water balance of plants • Responses to water availability 22 Water balance of plants • Measurement techniques Salt tolerance • Responses to saline soils 29 Salt tolerance • Mechanisms to tolerate high soil salt content Second exam handed out – due May 13 May 6 Literature discussion: Session I Monday Final exam period: 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM May 13 Literature discussion: Session II Second exam turned in 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?

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NRES 725: PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY

Spring 2013

Grades A total of 70% 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 and paper discussions. Exam 1: Covers topics up to & including day handed out = 30% of grade Exam 2: Entire course, but primarily topics since 1st exam = 40% of grade Total = 70% A total of 30% 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 =