Entry requirements

General entry requirements

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student should:

• be able to account for the truffle life form, its evolution, distribution, life cycles and the species richness of truffles.
• be able to account for what distinguishes basidiomycete and ascomycete truffles, as well as macroscopically and microscopically.
• be able to identify certain selected species/genera from both groups.
• be able to account for the ecology of a truffle biotope, and how this knowledge is applied in truffle cultivation.
• be able to account for specialized metabolites from truffles and to understand their function, biological activity and application in pharmacy and gastronomy from a historical, contemporary and future perspective.

Content

The course treats the truffle life form, evolutionary aspects, species richness, distribution and life

cycles (e.g. sexual and asexual reproduction). Differences between the main groups of truffles,

such as basidiomycete and ascomycete truffles (so called false and true truffles respecitively), are

assessed as well as basic macroscopic and microscopic identification of selected species with

focus on economically important species. Specialized metabolites from truffles, their function,

biological activity and application in pharmacy and gastronomy, is enlightened from a historical,

contemporary and future perspective. Further, the ecology of a truffle biotope, and how this

knowledge is applied in truffle cultivation, is studied.

Instruction

Teaching is conducted through lectures, seminars, group exercises, laborative work and fieldtrip/study visit to a natural truffle biotope and truffle orchard on Gotland, as well as writing a literature based scientific essay.

The course may be given in English if necessary.

Assessment

The requirements for passing the course are passed seminars, laboration and field studies (3 credits) and passed written and oral examination of the literature study (2hp). Possibility to redo or complement compulsory sections can earliest be provided one month after the course is finished or the next time the course is given.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Other directives

The course will be given as a summer course at Campus Gotland.