Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2020

Environmental Sciences Master Information
Major in Ecology and Evolution
Electives
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
701-0290-00LSeminar in Microbial Evolution and Ecology (HS)Z0 credits2SS. Bonhoeffer
AbstractSeminar of the groups Molecular Microbial
Ecology, Theoretical Biology, Experimental Ecology, Evolutionary Biology. Talks given by members of these groups and external visitors.
Learning objectiveIn-depth introduction into microbial evolution and ecology, especially the aspects that are the focus of on-going research in this area at Department of Environmental Systems Science.
701-3001-00LEnvironmental Systems Data Science Restricted registration - show details W3 credits2GL. Pellissier, J. Payne, B. Stocker
AbstractStudents are introduced to a typical data science workflow using various examples from environmental systems. They learn common methods and key aspects for each step through practical application. The course enables students to plan their own data science project in their specialization and to acquire more domain-specific methods independently or in further courses.
Learning objectiveThe students are able to
● frame a data science problem and build a hypothesis
● describe the steps of a typical data science project workflow
● conduct selected steps of a workflow on specifically prepared datasets, with a focus on choosing, fitting and evaluating appropriate algorithms and models
● critically think about the limits and implications of a method
● visualise data and results throughout the workflow
● access online resources to keep up with the latest data science methodology and deepen their understanding
Content● The data science workflow
● Access and handle (large) datasets
● Prepare and clean data
● Analysis: data exploratory steps
● Analysis: machine learning and computational methods
● Evaluate results and analyse uncertainty
● Visualisation and communication
Prerequisites / Notice252-0840-02L Anwendungsnahes Programmieren mit Python
401-0624-00L Mathematik IV: Statistik
401-6215-00L Using R for Data Analysis and Graphics (Part I)
401-6217-00L Using R for Data Analysis and Graphics (Part II)
701-0105-00L Mathematik VI: Angewandte Statistik für Umweltnaturwissenschaften
551-0205-00LChallenges in Plant Sciences Information
Number of participants limited to 40.
W2 credits2KM. Paschke, A. Rodriguez-Villalon, C. Schöb, J. Six, J. Vorholt-Zambelli, A. Widmer, S. C. Zeeman, further lecturers
AbstractThe colloquium introduces students to the disciplines in plant sciences and provides integrated knowledge from the molecular level to ecosystems and from basic research to applications, making use of the synergies between the different research groups of the PSC. The colloquium offers a unique chance to approach interdisciplinary topics as a challenge in the field of plant sciences.
Learning objectiveMajor objectives of the colloquium are:

introduction of graduate students and Master students to the broad field of plant sciences
promotion of an interdisciplinary and integrative teaching program
promotion of active participation and independent work of students
promotion of presentation and discussion skills
increased interaction among students and professors
ContentChallenges in Plant Sciences will cover the following topics:
Chemical communication among plants, insect and pathogens.
Specificity in hormone signaling.
Genetic networks.
Plant-plant interactions.
Resilience of tropical ecosystems.
Regulatory factors controlling cell wall formation.
Chlorophyll breakdown.
Innate immunity.
Disease resistance genes.
Sustainable agroecosystems.
751-4504-00LPlant Pathology IW2 credits2GB. McDonald
AbstractPlant Pathology I will focus on pathogen-plant interactions, epidemiology, disease assessment, and disease development in agroecosystems. Themes will include: 1) how pathogens attack plants and; 2) how plants defend themselves against pathogens; 3) factors driving the development of epidemics in agroecosystems.
Learning objectiveStudents will understand: 1) how pathogens attack plants and; 2) how plants defend themselves against pathogens; 3) factors driving the development of epidemics in agroecosystems as a basis for implementing disease management strategies in agroecosystems.
ContentCourse description: Plant Pathology I will focus on pathogen-plant interactions, epidemiology, disease assessment, and disease development in agroecosystems. Themes will include: 1) how pathogens attack plants and; 2) how plants defend themselves against pathogens; 3) factors driving the development of epidemics in agroecosystems. Topics under the first theme will include pathogen life cycles, disease cycles, and an overview of plant pathogenic nematodes, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Topics under the second theme will include plant defense strategies, host range, passive and active defenses, and chemical and structural defenses. Topics under the third theme will include the disease triangle and cultural control strategies.

Lecture Topics and Tentative Schedule

Week 1 The nature of plant diseases, symbiosis, parasites, mutualism, biotrophs and necrotrophs, disease cycles and pathogen life cycles.

Week 2 Nematode attack strategies and types of damage. Viral pathogens, classification, reproduction and transmission, attack strategies and types of damage. Examples TMV, BYDV. Bacterial pathogens and phytoplasmas, classification, reproduction and transmission.

Week 3 Bacterial attack strategies and symptoms. Example bacterial diseases: fire blight, Agrobacterium crown gall, soft rots. Fungal and oomycete pathogens, classification, growth and reproduction, sexual and asexual spores, transmission.

Week 4 Fungal and oomycete life cycles, disease cycles, infection processes, colonization, phytotoxins and mycotoxins. Attack strategies of fungal necrotrophs and biotrophs. Symptoms and signs of fungal infection. Example fungal diseases: potato late blight.

Week 5 Example fungal diseases: wheat stem rust, grape powdery mildew, wheat septoria tritici blotch. Plant defense mechanisms, host range and non-host resistance. Passive structural and chemical defenses, preformed chemical defenses. Active structural defense, histological and cellular (papillae).

Week 6 Active chemical defense, hypersensitive response, pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, phytoalexins and disease resistance. Pisatin and pisatin demethylase. Local and systemic acquired resistance (LAR, SAR), induced systemic resistance (ISR), signal molecules, defense activators (Bion). Pathogen effects on food quality. Positive and negative transformations.

Week 7 Negative pathogen impacts on crop yield and quality. Pathogen effects on food safety. Mycotoxins in the food chain. Aflatoxin, patulin safety assessment and action thresholds. Epidemiology: historical epidemics.

Week 8 Epidemiology: Disease pyramid, environmental effects on epidemic development, plant effects on development of epidemics, including resistance, physiology, density, uniformity.

Week 9 Disease assessment: incidence and severity measures, keys, diagrams, scales, measurement errors. Correlations between incidence and severity. Molecular detection and diagnosis of pathogens. Host indexing, serology, monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, ELISA.

Week 10 Molecular detection and diagnosis of pathogens: PCR, rDNA and loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Strategies for minimizing disease risks: calculating disease thresholds, disease forecasting systems.

Week 11 Strategies for minimizing disease risks: lowering epidemic risk, ecological risk assessment, natural and synthetic pesticides. Disease control strategies: economic thresholds, overview of control strategies.

Week 12 Physical control methods. Cultural control methods: avoidance, tillage practices, crop sanitation.

Week 13 Cultural control methods: fertilizers, crop rotations.

Week 14 Open lecture.
Lecture notesDetailed lecture notes (~160 pages) will be available for purchase at the cost of reproduction at the start of the semester.
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