250043 Tropical Botany A

Details
Department of Ecology   64 %
Forest & Landscape   18 %
Department of Agricultural Sciences   18 %
Earliest Possible YearBSc. 2 year to MSc. 2 year
DurationOne block
 
Credits15 (ECTS)
Course LevelJoint BSc and MSc
The course is open to students on all programmes and to external students
 
ExaminationFinal Examination

written examination and oral examination


No aid allowed

Description of Examination: Evaluation of course report. Oral examination on course curriculum within chosen families.

Weight: 50% Course report 50% Oral examination



13-point scale, internal examiner
 
Requirement For Attending ExamProject report completed
 
Organisation of TeachingLectures, practicals, local excursions and three-week field excursion to Guatemala
 
Block PlacementBlock 2
Week Structure: B

Block 2
Week Structure: C
 
Teaching LanguageEnglish
 
Restrictionsmax. 30 - min. 15 Definite confirmation of enrolment is necessary by the end of the ordinary registration period.
 
Areas of Competence the Course Will Address
Basic Science
Knowledge of:
- tropical plants of agronomic, forestry and horticultural importance, and the specific utilised parts of each plant
- selected tropical plant families and their origin and ecology
- the correct scientific and English names of tropical plants
Comprehends the causal connections of abiotic/biotic ecological factors in tropical regions

Applied Science
Comprehends sufficient botanical/ecological knowledge of tropical plants as a prerequisite to study and/or work with cultivation, breeding and technological problems within the fields of agriculture, forestry, horticulture incl. crop protection, and animal husbandry in the tropics
Ethics and Values
Is aware of:
- tropical plants as a genetic resource and the importance of maintaining tropical biodiversity
- can reflect on problems and risks in relation to development of tropical regions
- can identify problems in sustainable tropical plant production, can respond, reflect, and is able to discuss
 
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide detailed knowledge on the taxonomy, morphology, ecology, distribution and economic botany of tropical cultivated plants within the fields of field, garden and forest crops as well as ornamentals.
Furthermore the introductory field excursion to Guatemala will provide hands on experience.
 
Course Contents
The various genera will be reviewed in groups according to use/type: Timbers, cereals, pseudo-cereals, root and tuber crops, pulses, oil plants, sugar plants, vegetables, stimulant (incl. medicinal)plants, spices, fruits, technical plants, forages, and the most common pantropical weeds. Also commonly used ornamentals will be studied.
The course is addressed to students who plan to study tropical agriculture, forestry, horticulture, crop protection in the tropics, tropical plant pathology, animal husbandry in the tropical, tropical landscape architecture or other tropical and Third World subjects. The course will be a necessary prerequisite to all who expect to be working with tropical agriculture, forestry, agro-forestry, horticulture, animal husbandry in the tropics and food and nutritional technology. Students contemplating a career within agencies or institutions in the developing countries will find the course to be of relevance.
The final three-week field course to Guatemala conducted in collaboration with the assistance of local colleagues from Univ. San Carlos de Guatemala cover a wide variation of ecological environments, agricultural systems, natural vegetation types as well as urban parks.
 
Teaching And Learning Methods
During the initial two thirds of the course lectures reviewing the syllabus and one weekly tutorial will be conducted. During the final third of the course the participants will be expected to work in groups with subjects/problems of their own choice resulting in the presentation of a report. The course will be concluded by an oral examination in the most important genera. The course aims to provide a thorough knowledge of an individually chosen number of plant families equal to approx. 60 textbook pages. The relevant families may be identified according to agricultural, forestry or horticultural interest. During the course time allotted for lectures and tutorial will be used for a combination of group work with supervision/instruction within the chosen number of plant families and in preparation of the course report. In the group work dried/live plant material, textbooks, floras, reference books as well as internet site and other illustrative material will be used. For the oral exam both the individually chosen plant families as well as the course report will be included in the examination requirements. A single mark for the combined evaluation of oral examination and the course report will be given. Field trips to the Botanical Garden will be included. During the introductory field course to Guatemala (1/3 of the course) excursions in combination with on-site lectures reviewing the multidisciplinary aspects of the different soils, crops and production systems will be conducted. In addition, field exercises with supervision/instruction in study groups - according to common research field - will form an integrated part of the daily work. During the last third of the course the participants will be expected to work in groups with subjects/problems prepared by the lecturers resulting in the presentation of a report which will conclude this element of the course.
 
Course Litterature
Heywood, V. (ed.) (1993): Flowering Plants of the World.
Batsford.Koch, W. (ed.) (1978): Weeds in tropical crops  i: Diseases, pests and weeds in tropical crops. John Wiley & Sons.
Kricher, J. 1997. A neotropical companion. Princeton University Press; and literature from the relevant prerequisite courses.
Rehm, S. & Espig, G. (1991): The Cultivated Plants of the Tropics and Subtropics. Verlag Josef Margraf.
Skerman, PI, Cameron, D.G. & Riveros, F. (1990): Tropical forage legumes. 2nd ed. FAO Plant Production Series No. 2. Fao, Rome.
Skerman, PI. & Reveros, F. (1990): Tropical grasses. FAO Plant Production Series No. 23. Fao, Rome.S
oerianegara, I. & Lemmens, R.H.M.J. (1993): Timber trees: Major commercial timbers. PROSEA vol. 5(1). Pudoc, Wageningen.
 
Course Coordinator
Marten Sørensen, ms@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Section of Botany, Phone: 35332815
 
Attendance Fee
Note partipants must expect to cover the cost of intercontinental transport and accommodation
 
Study Board
Study Committee NSN
 
Course Scope
lectures20
practicals37
Excursions195
project work30
preparation108
supervision20
examination2

412