| CODE | BIO1403 | ||||||
| TITLE | In situ and ex situ Plant Conservation | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 7 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Biology | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is designed to equip students with theoretical and practical knowledge on in situ and ex situ plant conservation. The topics covered include: 1. Principles of biodiversity conservation: Regulations and Conventions on conservation of biodiversity, “CITES”, “Nagoya Protocol”; The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Strategic plan 2013-2020; The vulnerability of the Mediterranean flora and Mediterranean Island plants; The IUCN Red List categories and criteria; Developing a European Red List; International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. 2. In situ conservation (general concepts); Ecological and anthropogenic drivers determining the threatened flora distribution; Monitoring threatened plant population (concept and methodologies); Demographic studies of threatened plant (concept and methodologies); Conservation status assessment; Plant translocations; Complementary conservation of plant genetic resources; Genetic reserves; On farm conservation; Home garden management. 3. Habitat characterization (concept, guidelines at European level, with emphasis for the Mediterranean region); Habitat monitoring (concept and methodologies); Habitat conservation and recovery techniques. 4. Alien plants in natural and seminatural habitats: impacts of biological invasions; Management of invasive alien plants; Germination ecophysiology of alien plants. 5. Preparing for collecting missions (target species, target environments, etc.); Sampling strategies; Collecting forms; Codes of good practice for collecting and transfer; Legal aspects of exchange of accessions. 6. Ex situ conservation (general concepts); Botanic gardens, arboreta, germplasm banks; Storage techniques: seed bank, pollen, in vitro culture, field collections; Seed bank: general seed features and advantages for germplasm conservation; Types of collections (basic, active, working, core); Management of conserved germplasm; Use of germplasm. 7. Collected seed accession processing (i.e., cleaning, post maturation, drying of seeds,packing, etc.); Seed water content measurements, orthodox and recalcitrant seeds; Seed morpho-colorimetric analysis: preparation and performing of the technique; Seed viability tests (germination tests, colorimetric assays, conductivity test); Seed dormancy (type/level of seed dormancy); Dormancy breaking methods; Seed germination (phases, thermal requirements, pre-treatments, etc.); Germination test (final %, T50); Environmental stresses on plant growth. Study-unit Aims This unit is mainly aimed at equipping students with knowledge of: - The importance of the theoretical background to understand the need for plnt conservation, as well as techniques and procedures used in the conservation of rare and endangered plants; - The practical applications and use of different conservation tools both in situ and ex situ. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Exhibit basic knowledge on the plant conservation; • Exhibit knowledge and skills on in situ conservation techniques; • Demonstrate knowledge on the techniques for collection, study, ex situ processing and conservation of germplasm; • Work in a germplasm bank and “take home” the basic knowledge about seed germination and dormancy breaking techniques. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: • Use knowledge of theoretical concepts applicable for in situ and ex situ plant conservation to reduce irreparable loss of plant species; • Learn to apply techniques of in situ and ex situ conservation in real life situations such as collection, processing and storage of germplasm; • Acquire skills that allow students to monitor the success of their conservation procedures such as success of seed germination post storage. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Walter S. Judd, Christopher S. Campbell, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Peter F. Stevens, Michael J. Donoghue. (2016) Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach, Third Edition 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates Inc., NY. - Michael G. Simpson, (2010) Plant Systematics, Second Edition 2nd Edition, Elsevier. - Vernon H Heywood (1993) Flowering plants of the world, Batsford, UK. - Introduction to the Principles of Plant Taxonomy 2nd Edition (1991) by V. V. Sivarajan (Author), N. K. P. Robson (Editor). |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite qualifications: Entry requirements BSc Biology or Similar | ||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Indep Online Learn, Indep Study, Onl Tut & Webinar | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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