Learning Outcomes
This course aims in understanding key issues in land and aquatic plant responses to abiotic stress (e.g.water deficit,salinity,metals,light,oxygen,nutrients,ultraviolet irradiance)and the response(morphological, physiological and biochemical adaptation)and stategies-mechanisms of plants to abiotic stress.
Students will become familiar with examples on environmental effects on plant physiology, with techniques of plant ecophysiology (e.g. fluorescence, spectrophotometry) and finally raise awareness on human interventions in land and aquatic environments.Practical laboratory exersice (laboratory precedure, preparation and presentation of short essays, familiarity with literature search, study books and articles).
Course Content (Syllabus)
Land and aquatic plant responses to abiotic stress.Stategies and mechanisms of plants to abiotic stress. Water deficit and plant tolerance to drought and frost. Effects of salinity on plants and mechanisms of acclimation and tolerance in saline soils. Osmotic adjustment and its role in tolerance to drought and salinity.Response of plants in oxygen deficiency. Heat stress and plant acclimation. Oxidative stress. Acid rain and its effects on plants.Harmful effects of ultraviolet irradiance in plants.Heavy metals: ion availability and their role in plant metabolism, response (morphological, physiological and biochemical adaptation) of plants, mechanisms and strategies of plants to metal toxicity. Response of aquatic plants to light and nutrients deficit and stress.