Angiosperm Biodiversity Practicals (P01316)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : BIO-P-AngEvoP

Angiosperm Biodiversity Practicals serve primarily to illustrate the theoretical material in the companion Angiosperm Evolution and Biodiversity course. The practicals cover the floral structures of the major orders and families of angiosperms, giving the opportunity to extend learning on key-characters and important plant groups. They involve the sampling and observation of diverse living floral material grown at RBGE. Students are encouraged to explore this living resource, and record their observations by drawing half-flowers including floral diagrams and floral formulae, as an effective way to become acquainted with the diversity of angiosperm families. In addition students will write a biodiversity essay, either covering a group of plants, or describing a geographical area. A cytology exercise is included that introduces an important mechanism of plant speciation research carried out at RBGE.

? Keywords : Angiosperm evolution, Angiosperm Biodiversity, Angiosperm phylogeny, floral anatomy, Cytology, Monocotyledon, Dicotyledon, speciation, reproductive systems

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : BSc or equivalent in Biology or another approved subject Permission of the Course Organiser

? Co-requisites : Angiosperm Evolution and Biodiversity

? Special Arrangements for Entry : The course will include an intensive Cytology practical exercise run on 4 consecutive days in Week 8, Block 4.
For this exercise living plants are used and a continuous block is essential, as progress is measured over several days. The requirement for adequate seasonally-available plant material and the fact that the plant material have to be processed according to a specified time sequence makes it impossible to split this practical up over several weeks.
The cytology practical is a key component of the course and is highly appreciated by students.

? Costs : none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate, (School of Biological Sciences, Schedule K)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Full Year (Blocks 1-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 3 hour(s) per week for 20 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Laboratory	Tuesday	14:00	17:00	External

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge of flower structures of major angiosperm taxa.
2. Understanding of flowering plant diversity and evolution.
3. Knowledge of flowering plant breeding systems and their evolution.
4. Knowledge of angiosperm developmental genetics and phylogeny.
5. Training in cytological methods

Assessment Information

Continuous assessment of Laboratory Practical record books, the Report of the Cytology Practical exercise will be marked
An marked essay will be set with the broad brief "Angiosperm Biodiversity" within which students may exercise choice of topic.
A synoptic written examination in May