NBIK13016U Mycology

Volume 2013/2014
Content

Week 1: Fungal diversity 1: phylogeny, taxonomy, life-styles, nutritional modes
- Ascomycota
- Basiodiomycota

Week 2: Fungal diversity 2: phylogeny, taxonomy, life-styles, nutritional modes
- Basal lineages
- Oomycota

Week 3: Fungal diversity 3: phylogeny, taxonomy, life-styles, nutritional modes
- Structure and differentiation and nutrient acquisition
- Dispersal and survival

Week 4: Fungal populations and genetics
- Genetics and mating types
- Population genetics
- Development of molecular markers and analysis

Week 5: Fungal community assembly and guilds
- Mycorrhizal communities
- Wood decaying communities
- Community analyses; high throughput sequencing and analysis

Week 6: Fungal interactions 1
- Plant pathogens: Ecology and lifecycles
- Monitoring plant pathogens; emerging diseases

Week 7: Fungal interactions 2
- Fungal infections in insects
- Fungal interactions with humans and animals

 

Learning Outcome

- To provide an understanding of the biology, diversity, life-styles and nutritional modes of the main fungal lineages
- To identify the main interactions between fungi and plants and fungi and insects
- To develop practical skills for growing fungi in pure cultures and perform simple growth and mating experiments
- To obtain knowledge of molecular marker selection, molecular detection and current metagenomic tools.


Knowledge:
By the end of the course students are expected to:
describe the diversity of fungi in the light of phylogeny, life-styles and nutritional modes
explain how fungi interact with plants and insects in beneficial and harmful ways
critically evaluate different (molecular) methods for detection of specific fungi, detecting the genetic variation in populations and identifying species in complex communities
discuss, put into perspective, and criticize original research papers in modern mycology

Skills:
work experimentally with fungi including growing, transferring and setting up small experiments with fungi in pure culture
use their acquired knowledge of microbial diversity and ecology in designing identification, detection of species in communities or individuals in populations

Competencies:
By participating in this course the students should be able to integrate knowledge of fungal diversity its broadest sense into designing and perform appropriate solutions to specific questions within mycology. In doing this, students should be able to take into the consideration the complexities of the system i.e. phylogenetic and functional diversity and the interacting with other organisms and with the environment. Students should be able to put fungi into general ecological, biological and microbial ecological contexts.

Deacon: Fungal Biology, 4th edition, Blackwell
Introductory courses (bachelor level) in microbiology and/or mycology, ecology and molecular biology are recommended
Lectures, laboratory and computer practicals, group discussions and student presentations, PBL
The course is part of the qualification profile 'Microbiology'. For all courses of the qualification profiles, see Course Portal for Department of Biology.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 14
  • Exam
  • 37
  • Guidance
  • 14
  • Lectures
  • 21
  • Preparation
  • 78
  • Project work
  • 21
  • Theory exercises
  • 21
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
Oral examination, 20 minutes based on an original scientific paper handed out 7 days before the exam and text book curriculum.
Exam registration requirements
In order to be allowed to the final exam, the student should have participated actively in the course by being present minimum 80% at the exercises, and by performing satisfactory oral presentations based on weekly assignments.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Re-exam
Same as ordinary exam
Criteria for exam assesment
To obtain the grade 12, the students should: satisfactory disentangle the handed out original scientific paper, place the content in a general mycological context, prove an integrated understanding of fungal diversity i.e. phylogeny, life-styles and nutritional modes with no or few minor errors.