300163 UE Methods in pollination biology (2025S)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
MIXED
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Th 06.02.2025 14:00 to Th 20.02.2025 18:00
- Deregistration possible until Sa 15.03.2025 18:00
Details
max. 16 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes
Vorbesprechung: 06.03.2025, 16:00-17:00, digital
Monday, 28.4.2025, 09:00-17:00Tuesday, 29.04.2025, 09:00 -17:00
Wednesday, 30.04.2025, 09:00-17:00
Friday, 02.05.2025, 09:00-17:00
Monday, 05.05.2025, 09:00-17:00
Tuesday, 06.05.2025, 09:00-17:00
Wednesday, 07.05.2025, 09:00-17:00
Thursday, 08.05.2025, 09:00-17:00
Friday, 09.05.2025, 09:00-17:00
Monday, 12.5.2025, 09:00-17:00
Tuesday, 13.5.2025, 09:00-17:00
Wednesday,14.5.2025, 09:00-17:00
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
1) active participation during the entire course
2) presentation of course project
3) written report of course project
2) presentation of course project
3) written report of course project
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
20 points:
participation - 5 points
presentation of course project - 3 points
written report of course project - 12 points20 - 19: 1 (Sehr gut)
18 - 17: 2 (Gut)
16 - 15: 3 (Befriedigend)
14 - 13: 4 (Genügend)
12 - 0: 5 (Nicht genügend)
participation - 5 points
presentation of course project - 3 points
written report of course project - 12 points20 - 19: 1 (Sehr gut)
18 - 17: 2 (Gut)
16 - 15: 3 (Befriedigend)
14 - 13: 4 (Genügend)
12 - 0: 5 (Nicht genügend)
Examination topics
active participation, oral presentation of results, final report
Reading list
Kearns, C. A., & Inouye, D. W. (1993). Techniques for pollination biologists. University Press of Colorado.
Willmer, P. (2011). Pollination and floral ecology. Princeton University Press.
Faegri, K., & Van Der Pijl, L. (2013). Principles of pollination ecology. Pergamon Press.
Barth, F. G. (1985). Insects and flowers. The biology of a partnership. Princeton University Press.
Vogel, S., & Pischtschan, E. (2012). Floral-biological syndromes as elements of diversity within tribes in the flora of South Africa: 1954. Shaker.
Etl, F., Kaiser, C., Reiser, O., Schubert, M., Dötterl, S., & Schönenberger, J. (2022). Evidence for the recruitment of florivorous plant bugs as pollinators. Current Biology, 32(21), 4688-4698.
Kogler, M., Stern, R., & Etl, F. Diversität der Wildbienen (Hymenoptera: Apidae) und Blütenpflanzen am Betriebsgelände der ÖBB beim Westbahnhof (Wien, Österreich).
Willmer, P. (2011). Pollination and floral ecology. Princeton University Press.
Faegri, K., & Van Der Pijl, L. (2013). Principles of pollination ecology. Pergamon Press.
Barth, F. G. (1985). Insects and flowers. The biology of a partnership. Princeton University Press.
Vogel, S., & Pischtschan, E. (2012). Floral-biological syndromes as elements of diversity within tribes in the flora of South Africa: 1954. Shaker.
Etl, F., Kaiser, C., Reiser, O., Schubert, M., Dötterl, S., & Schönenberger, J. (2022). Evidence for the recruitment of florivorous plant bugs as pollinators. Current Biology, 32(21), 4688-4698.
Kogler, M., Stern, R., & Etl, F. Diversität der Wildbienen (Hymenoptera: Apidae) und Blütenpflanzen am Betriebsgelände der ÖBB beim Westbahnhof (Wien, Österreich).
Association in the course directory
MBO 5, MEC-9, UF MA BU 01, MZO2, MNB6
Last modified: Mo 07.04.2025 21:26
It is the aim of this course to provide students with a broad base-line knowledge of the theory and methods required to monitor pollinators both for scientific and conservation related purposes. Through the inclusion of lectures, practical sessions and independent research projects, students familiarize themselves with different state-of-the-art techniques in plant reproductive research and are capable of performing pollination monitoring independently at the end of the course.Contents
Pollinators act as important selective agents on flowers and have contributed significantly to the diversity of angiosperms. Also, pollination provides a crucial ecosystem function and severe pollinator declines in agricultural landscapes occur worldwide.
In this course, we will cover both the theoretical background of pollinator mediated selection, floral evolution, plant reproductive strategies and pollinator diversity as well as the methodological toolkit to studying these questions in the lab and in the field.
- Flower morphology
- Adaptations to different pollinators (flower shape, colour, rewards, scent), pollination syndromes
- Systematic overview of important pollinators in temperate Europe
- Impact of pollinator declines and changes in pollinator communitiesWe will use a combination of short excursions, followed by hands-on practical sessions. Students will get training in the methods required to study floral adaptations and monitor pollinator assemblages and identify different insect taxa. After this training period, students will perform their own small research project within the frame of this course where they can employ some of the methods and are subsequently guided through the steps of data analyses and presentation of the results.Methods include:
- Monitoring pollinators in the field
- Insect identification
- Overview of structural methods to study flowers (Scanning Electron Microscopy, Light Microscopy)
- Scent collection and analyses
- Studying flower colour
- Quantifying and measuring floral nectar
- Manipulation of floral traits
- Bagging experiments of flowers