Plant Physiology - Ecophysiology

The content of the course includes the following:

1. The uptake and transport of water and nutrients by plants.

2. The water balance of plants. The transport of substances through membranes. Diffusion. Osmosis.

3. Passive and Active transport of dissolved substances.

4. Transpiration. The importance of transpiration for cultivated plants.

5. The respiratory function of plants.

6. Photosynthesis and primary plant metabolism.

7. The reactions of the carbon –C3 photosynthetic cycle

8. The C4 photosynthetic cycle. The acid metabolism of Crassulaceae.

9. Climatic and microclimatic conditions

10. Ecophysiology and Environmental Stress

11. Adaptation and acclimatization

12. Physiology and phenotypic plasticity in changes of environmental conditions

13. Ecophysiological Role of Secondary Metabolites

Laboratory exercises

• The water balance of plants. The water potential.

• Stomata and respiration.

• The transport of dissolved substances - Respiratory flow.

• Extraction of photosynthetic pigments.

• Instruments and methodology for monitoring environmental factors (solar radiation, relative humidity, temperature, etc.)