This course covers the functional plant ecology, approaching several key thematic areas for two hours a week. Based on six themes and the major topics in related research, the background knowledge, the development process and contemporary studies will be introduced and illustrated. Integration or criticism for writing 1-2 page assignments with comments by Instructor to guide group discussions and summary, and oral presentation on the relevant issues and research methods will be evaluated.

Themes:
1. Topics in diversity of plant form and life history and their distribution onto different habitats
Provides a full understanding of how plants have successfully evolved in multiple ecosystems
Focuses on new approaches to questions about water transport, photosynthesis, functional ecology and phylogeny
Covers plant responses to pollution and plant performance at different scales
Draws on all areas of plant ecology to provide the broadest view of functional approaches to plant ecology
Presents easy-to-read, up-to-date introductions to each topic
2. Using functional morphology to examine the ecology and evolution of specialization or adaptation.
3. Current research in phylogenetic and functional traits

Topics:
1 課程介紹 Introduction to functional plant ecology, functional morphology and functional traits
2. 比較功能生態學專題：Methods in Comparative Functional Ecology
3. 植物社會研究及蔓藤生態專題: Integrated studies from plant functional morphology to functional ecology in forest dynamics plots
4. 環境演變與功能群崛起的專題：Origins of C4 Grasslands: Integrating Evolutionary and Ecosystem
5 發現台灣植物自然史專題：Natural History of Taiwan
6. 台灣的植物調查與植被研究簡史：Botanical Exploration and Vegetation Survey in Taiwan
7. 台灣植被整合與分類：Integrative Vegetation Research in Taiwan and Vegetation Analysis
8. 台灣森林動態樣區的設置與研究：Establishment and Research of Forest Dynamic Plots
9. 氣候變遷研究與動態樣區監測分析：Climate Change and Analysis of Forest Dynamic Plots.
10.森林動態樣區的設置與長期監測：Establishing forest dynamics plots and monitoring of long-term vegetation dynamics
11. 環境值的長期測量Long-term environmental measurements (microclimate, soil moisture etc.)
12. 植物功能特性的測量與植群研究的應用: Measuring soft plant functional traits and their use in community-level vegetation studies
13. Ellenberg-type species indicator values and potential to introduce them to Taiwan
14.. 森林動態樣區的功能特性與功能社群： Research about Functional Traits and Functional Community in Forest Dynamic Plots
15. 功能特性與植物表型可塑性專題: Using functional morphology to examine the plasticity of eco-type.