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| BOTA0402-1 | Marine plant biology
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| Duration : | 15h Th, 15h Pr, 3d FW |
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| Holder(s) : | Vincent Demoulin |
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| Substitute(s) : | Anne Goffart |
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| Language : | Langue française |
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| Course contents : | A first lecture presents the main groups of marine plants (algae, fungi, lichens and phanerogams). It deals also with biochemical and ultrastructural characters whose variation among major groups of algae makes that those organisms, of often simple morphology, display a much greater diversity of cellular organisation than animals or higher plants.
One lecture is devoted to blue-green algae, whose procaryotic structure places in a peculiar position ("cyanobacteria"), but whose ecological role is similar to that of other algae. Main themes : place in present ecosystems, nitrogen fixation, toxins.
Following lectures are devoted to benthic and planktonic eucaryotic algae, mainly the red, brown and greens, with an emphasis on the:
1. evolution of eucaryotes (origin, gain or loss of plastids, origin of higher plants);
2. phenology of the main groups and their connections to environmental and climate-driven variability;
3. pigment signatures of the different algal groups and their use as biomarkers;
4. problematics of toxic phytoplankton.
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| Course objective : | The aims of the course are to make students familiar with :
- the main groups of marine plants (algae, fungi, lichens and phanerogams),
- the biodiversity and the phylogeny of benthic and planktonic marine algae,
- the structure and the functioning of marine algae communities;
- the ecological and economical importance of algae in the marine environment.
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| Prerequisites : | A minimal knowledge of general biology. |
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| Workshops : | According to the interest of the students, practical courses can :
1. consist in laboratory work in Liège, dealing with microscopical structure of marine algae, culture attempts or phytopigment analysis:
2. be combined with the field stay in STARESO (Calvi, Corse). In this case the emphasis is on microscopical examination and determination of algae as well as on the study of their spatial distribution.
The field course is organized in STARESO (Calvi, Corsica). It is devoted to the study of benthic vegetation and phytoplankton communities. It also allows to get used to the literature for determination of algae and how to observe them. |
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| Organization : | Lectures are held in one of the small lecture rooms of the Botanical Institute, B.22 (Sart Tilman Campus) with a schedule to be arranged with the students. The field stay is also to be agreed: either a three days stay in Wimereux (near Boulogne) or a stay in Stareso (Calvi, Corsica), usually before or after the 1st year oceanography field course. It can also consist in accompanying the second year of biology field course in St Malo (Brittany). |
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| Written notes : | Photocopies of synopsis, tables and illustrations.
Various books are presented for the information of the students interested by additional data, or so as to be aware of sources of documentation for the future, but their consultation is not necessary for following the course. |
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| Assessment : | Oral examination. |
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| Contacts : | Teacher: Dr. Anne Goffart
Laboratoire d'Océanologie - MARE Center -
3, allée de la Chimie B6c
B 4000 Liège
Tel +32 (0)4 366 50 76
A.Goffart@ulg.ac.be |
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| Remarks : | The course can be adapted to the previous formation and special interest of students. |
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