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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Biological Sciences : Postgraduate

Postgraduate Course: Plant Geography (PGBI11012)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Biological Sciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryBiologists have sought to explain the uneven distribution of organisms across the globe for over two centuries, a field of enquiry called biogeography. It is still a vital research area in a time when we need to be able to predict how organisms will react to anthropogenic environmental change. However, because of the complex interplay of contemporary ecology, earth history, organismal extinction and evolution, universal biogeographic explanations are still elusive. This course provides a background to the discipline of plant geography, including an account of its history, as well as explanations of the most modern biogeographic tools such as molecular clocks. This material is interspersed with key environments lectures, which discuss key species-rich environments that are studied at RBGE and the University of Edinburgh. Teaching will involve several group discussion tutorials, where students will be encouraged to read, interpret and criticise recently published research articles in the field.
Course description Not entered
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students also take Angiosperm Biodiversity Practicals (PGBI11017) AND Phylogenetics and Population Genetics (PLSC11001)
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs none
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 8, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 16, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 74 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 100 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Examination at end of semester 2
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Plant Geography2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. History of plant geography
  2. Basic outline of plate tectonics
  3. Biogeographic techniques including vicariance (cladistic) biogeography, using phylogenies to test biogeographic hypotheses, molecular clock studies of divergence times
  4. Knowledge of the floristic composition, ecology, biogeographic history and conservation issues relating to key species-rich plant environments
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Keywordsplant geography,biogeography,vegetation history,plant environments
Contacts
Course organiserDr Louis Ronse De Craene
Tel: (0131) 248 2804
Email:
Course secretaryMiss Sarah Harvey
Tel: (0131 6)51 7052
Email:
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