Postgraduate Course: Biodiversity of Angiosperms (PGBI11044)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Angiosperm Biodiversity Practicals serve primarily to illustrate the theoretical material in the companion Angiosperm Evolution and Biodiversity course. The course relies heavily on the understanding of floral structure (through floral diagrams) and the identification of plant to family level. 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. The cytology exercise is a study of live material of Tulbaghia accessions grown at the University of Edinburgh. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | It is RECOMMENDED that students also take
Evolution of Angiosperms (PGBI11045)
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| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | none |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 60,
Fieldwork Hours 8,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
128 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
50 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Continuous assessment of Laboratory Practical record books, the Report of the Cytology Practical exercise will be marked (worth 25%)
A marked essay will be set with the broad brief "Angiosperm Biodiversity" within which students may exercise choice of topic. (worth 25%)
A synoptic written examination in May (worth 50%)
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Knowledge of flower structures of major angiosperm taxa.
- Understanding of flowering plant diversity and evolution.
- Knowledge of flowering plant breeding systems and their evolution.
- Knowledge of angiosperm developmental genetics and phylogeny.
- Training in cytological methods
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
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.
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| Keywords | BiodivAngio |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Louis Ronse De Craene
Tel: (0131) 248 2804
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Sarah Harvey
Tel: (0131 6)51 7052
Email: |
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