Semester Course: 3rd 
Credits: 6 ECTS
Prerequisites: -
Lecturers: Prof. Paolo De Angelis
Web Site: http://www.unitus.it/en/dipartimento/dibaf/piano-di-studi2/articolo/inse...

1. Objectives
   To know basic elements and methods of forest ecophysiology and to gain familiarity with techniques and technologies currently being used and with the potential of quantitative methods for functional analyses of Mediterranean forest ecosystems.
    
2. Programme topics
   The class lectures will be focused on the following groups of topics:
   1. - Morphologic and functional features of the main organs of forest trees: adaptation and acclimation
   2. - Growth and development of forest trees and responses to environmental factors and stresses
   3. - Tree architecture and microclimate within forest ecosystems
   4. - Transpiration and water stress
   5. - Photosynthesis and carbon cycle of forest ecosystems
   6. - Quantitative methods for forest ecophysiological analyses
   7. - Introduction to mathematical models for Mediterranean ecosystem analyses
       
3. Assessment
   Course requirements include laboratory practices, class presentation and a final oral examination. For the oral examination, the students must discuss a review selected from the international scientific literature on a topic selected by self and related to the topics covered by the course. Furthermore, the commission will ask questions to evaluate the acquired competence of the student according to the programme of the course.