Undergraduate Course: Evolution and Ecology of Plants 3 (BILG09011)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Acclimation and adaptation of plants to diverse environmental stresses; competition and niche capture by plants; origin, evolution and biodiversity of plants, from algae to angiosperms (based on up-to-date molecular relationships); their reproductive and breeding mechanisms; their anatomy. How the earliest plants colonised the land, and what they can tell us about ancient climates. Laboratory and field work is integral to the course, including work at the Royal Botanic Garden. |
| Course description |
The course covers aspects of the acclimation and adaptation of plants to diverse environmental stresses, both biotic and physical; competition and niche capture by plants; the origin, evolution and biodiversity of plants; their reproductive and breeding mechanisms; and their anatomy. The course mainly focuses on land plants. A comparison of morphological, physiological and molecular approaches will be introduced to study the ecology and evolution and plants, from algae to angiosperms. Plant¿environment interactions also feature in the context of the colonisation of the land by early plants. We hope that the evolution and ecology of plants ¿ past and present, wild or cultivated ¿ will be seen to be indissolubly linked. The earliest land plants and their modern descendants are described, with an examination of ancient environments and what plants can tell us about them. The sequence of evolutionary novelties that drove land plant evolution and culminated in the radiation and success of angiosperms is described and current angiosperm diversity is surveyed, based on up-to-date molecular relationships.
Suitable laboratory and field work will accompany all units of the course. It will involve the greatest possible use of living plant materials, both wild and from the RBGE collection.
This course therefore aims to deliver a broad understanding of how plants evolved, how they interact with the world, and why these things matter.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Equivalent of the courses listed above |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 23,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 53,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
117 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
20 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Normally 3 items of in-course assessment plus one 2-hour exam |
| Feedback |
A practical report, the course essay and the plant photo collection will receive written feedback. Formative feedback on practical work will be provided throughout the course. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
| Increased understanding of plant ecophysiology, evolution, diversity and phylogeny. Detailed learning outcomes will be provided later.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Logical argument; concise writing.
Practical skills; accurate observation.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Most weeks:
Lectures are 1330 - 1430 hrs
Practicals are 1430 - 1700 hrs
(2 days per week). |
| Keywords | EEP3,evolution,ecophysiology,plant science,biodiversity |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Stephen Fry
Tel: (0131 6)50 5320/5321
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Louise Hann
Tel: (0131 6)50 7481
Email: |
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