Duration
14h Th, 4h FT
Number of credits
| Master in forests and natural areas engineering (120 ECTS) | 2 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course focuses on concepts and methods to assess genetic variation in tree populations, and how to use that variability in tree improvement programs.
1. Introduction: A brief history and objectives of forest improvement
2. Review the basic concepts necessary for understanding the use of genetics in forestry: the biology of forest species, genetic ecology, population genetics and quantitative genetics.
3. Presentation of classic genetic improvement programs of forest species
4. Case of study of the use of genetics in forestry
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
After completing the course, the student is expected to:
- have a perfect command of principles encompassing quantitative genetics and their applications in selection: definition and estimates of phenotypic value, genetic/genotypic values, genotype x environment value, genetic correlation coefficients, genetic gain;
- be able to implement a genetic improvement program thanks to the knowledge gained from quantitative genetics: definition of plant origin, provenance, plus and elite trees, seed stand and seed orchard, clone orchard, etc., and establishment of genetic tests to perform both population and individual selections;
- have a good knowledge of population genetics principles in order to assess the degree of genetic variation within and between populations: Hardy-Weinberg principles, drift-mutation equilibrium, phylogeny and phylogeography approaches, estimates of the level of genetic diversity, consanguinity, and genetic distances;
- have a basic knowledge of principles of molecular analysis tools used to study genetic variability and improvements.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
- Génétique générale (BIOL2016-3)
- Biologie moléculaire (BIOL2015-3)
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
This course is based on lectures delivred in a modular way (corresponding to chapters) and supplemented with specialists interventions. A field trip is also organised to understand fundamental concepts (seed stands, seed orchards, etc.).
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face : 24 h (including one-day field trip)
Recommended or required readings
- Hartl D.L., Clark A.G. 2007. Principles of population genetics - Fourth Edition. Sinauer Associates, Massachusetts, USA.
- Nanson A. 2004. Génétique et amélioration des arbres forestiers. Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux, Belgique.
- White T.L., Adams W.T., Neale D.B. 2007. Forest genetics. CABI Publishing, Cambridge, USA.
- Freeland J.R., Kirk H., Petersen S.D. 2011. Molecular Ecology. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
oral test (100%)
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Contacts
Ludivine Lassois
University of Liege
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
BIOSE Department
Passage des Déportés, 2
B-5030 Gembloux
Belgium
Tél: + 32 81 62 23 21
ludivine.lassois@ulg.ac.be