HPC-22803 Concepts in Environmental Plant Physiology

Course

Credits 3.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Individual Paper1
Lectures10
Practical intensively supervised31
Course coordinator(s)dr. ir. W van Ieperen
Lecturer(s)dr. ir. W van Ieperen
Examiner(s)dr. ir. W van Ieperen

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

PPH-10806 Structure and Function of Plants; CLB-10803 Reproduction of Plants.

Continuation courses:

HPC-20306 Physiology and Development of Plants in Horticulture; HPC-21306 Crop Ecology and HPC-31806 Advanced Methods for Plant-Climate Research in Controlled Environments.

Contents:

This course has a strong focus on learning methods that enables students to make prior acquired knowledge of physiology of plants applicable in ecological and agricultural research and practice. Course content focusses on concepts related to functioning of plants in their (physical) environment with attention for photosynthesis and water relations i.r.t. light, CO2, and water availability. Students will learn how to build meaningful integrated concepts that combine knowledge from the domains plant physiology and environmental physics. These concepts aim to help students to better understand the complexity of plant environment systems and ultimately can be used to build creative ideas for research as well as practical applications in the field of plant production.

Learning outcomes:

After the course the students:
- will have acquired and/or revitalised knowledge on elementary chemistry and physics to explain and develop concepts that are key to an understanding of various areas of environmental plant physiology;
- will be able to do calculations to quantify key processes;
- will be able to combine prior acquired knowledge on plant physiology and environmental physics into meaningful integrated concepts;
- will have acquired insight in important interactions between plants and their physical environment that are essential for plant functioning, plant productivity and survival;
- will be able to build concept maps (graphical representation of interlinked knowledge of different domains) of interactions between the physical climate and plant functioning.

Activities:

- preparing for(!) and attending lectures;
- reading and processing scientific literature to prepare for practical assignments;
- participation in practical's and tutorials;
- preparing written and oral presentations on practical assignments;
- individual or small group assignment;
- self study.

Examination:

- multiple choice exam (35%);
- open questions exam (35%);
- assessment of a group assignment (2-3 persons; 30%).
For both, the multiple choice and the open question exam, a minimum mark of 5.5 is required; for the group assignment a minimum mark of 5.5 is required.

Literature:

Course syllabus
Selected Chapters from Physicochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology (Nobel, 2009)
For students available online within WUR library)
Selected chapters from Plants in Action and other books. Free available online
Selected review articles (e.g. Trends in Plant Science etc.)

ProgrammePhaseSpecializationPeriod
Compulsory for: BPWPlant SciencesBSc1AF
Restricted Optional for: MPSPlant SciencesMScA: Crop Science1AF
MPSPlant SciencesMScB: Greenhouse Horticulture1AF
MinorPeriod
Compulsory for: WUCCPBSc Minor Concepts in Crop Production1AF