• Offered by Biology Teaching and Learning Centre
  • ANU College ANU Joint Colleges of Science
  • Course subject Biology
  • Areas of interest Plant Science, Biology
  • Academic career UGRD
  • Course convener
    • AsPr Celeste Linde
    • Prof Marilyn Ball
  • Mode of delivery In Person
  • Co-taught Course
  • Offered in Second Semester 2015
    See Future Offerings

This course takes an evolutionary genomic approach to the functional diversity of plants and fungi. It starts with practical skills in plant identification, culminating in a three-day trip to develop skills in the field.  Cutting edge techniques will be used to explore structure and function of plants through the many levels of diversity: ecophysiological bases of adaptive differentiation along environmental gradients, geographic patterns among populations, and the critical step of speciation within genera, and within and among families.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Collect, preserve and identify herbarium specimens. (LO1)
2. Combine Classical plant taxonomy with modern molecular phylogeny. (LO2)
3. Integrate concepts of plant evolution and speciation into an understanding of how organisms are classified in a molecular  phylogenetic framework (LO3)
4. Understand how molecular phylogenies can  inform studies of evolution of plant form and function (LO4)
5.  Understand how functional diversity underpins adaptive differentiation of plant structure along environmental gradients (LO5)

6.Understand  how properties of biomes emerge from interactions between genotype, phenotype and environment (LO6)

Other Information

Field Trip: As an indication, the cost to students for the 3 days field trip will be about $170.

Indicative Assessment

UG Assessment will be based on:

  • Plant collection and descriptions project (15%; LO 1, 2)

  • Four practical reports at 10% each (40%; LO 5, 6)

  • Mid-term and final theory exams (45%; LO 3, 4, 5, 6)

 

PG Assessment will be based on:

  • Plant collection and descriptions project (15%; LO 1, 2)

  • Four practical reports at 5% each (20%; LO 5,6)

  • Mid-term and final theory exams (45%; LO 3, 4, 5,6)

  • Literature research project and essay (20%; LO 3,4,5,6)

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

Two lectures plus one practical of three hours per week, and a field trip to Jervis Bay field station over one weekend in August. Non-contact time: plant collection approx 30 hrs; practical reports 2 hrs each.

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must have completed the course BIOL1009 or BIOL2121

Minors

Specialisations

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.

Student Contribution Band:
2
Unit value:
6 units

If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.  Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.

Units EFTSL
6.00 0.12500
Domestic fee paying students
Year Fee
2015 $3096
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2015 $4146
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

The list of offerings for future years is indicative only.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.

Second Semester

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
2503 20 Jul 2015 07 Aug 2015 31 Aug 2015 30 Oct 2015 In Person N/A

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