Overview

This module provides the foundational tools to understand land plant and fugal diversity. It considers their diversity, evolution, classification, structure and conservation around the world through a combination of lectures and examination of real specimens.

Topics covered by lectures may include:

-The morphology of terrestrial plant groups and fungi -The evolution of terrestrial plants and fungi -The ethnobotanical and agricultural uses of plants -Plant; conservation threats and solutions.

Study material is provided of fungi, bryophytes, spore-bearing vascular plants, gymnosperms and angiosperms to illustrate their morphology, anatomy and reproductive structures. Examination of this material may involves a range of techniques including section cutting, microscopy, basic physiological observations and field work.

The morphology of flowering plants is studied by reference to a wide range of tropical and temperate families and is conducted mainly at Treborth Botanic Garden. Discussions will explore how plant classification and conservation can be assisted with technology and online databases.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -Grades D- to D+: A threshold student should show knowledge of the key areas and principles of plant biology presented in the module. Written answers should present relevant lecture material with some focus. They will provide some basic ecological principles governing plant structure, evolution, and reproduction. They will present basic conservation issues. Botanical drawings must be included with key comments.

-adequate _ Grades C- to C+: An adequate student should have a basic knowledge of the essential facts and key concepts of plant biology presented in the module. Written answers should demonstrate an ability to organize relevant lecture material into a coherent argument. They will understand basic ecological principles governing plant structure, evolution, and reproduction. They will have a basic knowledge conservation issues. Botanical drawings must be annotated correctly with few errors and they should include relevant comments.

-good -Grades B- to B+:A good student should have a thorough factual knowledge across all aspects of the module, and be able to detail examples where appropriate. Written work should demonstrate an ability to think critically about the subject and to synthesise lecture material and information from background reading. They will use an expanded vocabulary of technical botanical terms describing taxonomy and morphology and a good knowledge of conservation issues. Botanical drawings must be detailed, accurately labelled and extensively interpreted taxonomically, morphologically and ecologically.

-excellent -Grades A- to A**: Students will demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of all the major groups of terrestrial plants and show excellent insight the use of concise, accurate botanical and ecological terminology. Essays and portfolios will show extensive use of the primary literature and demonstrate family specific anatomic details. Students will be able to give scientific explanations as to how these anatomic details reflect ecological adaptations. The will be able to critically evaluate conservation issues. Botanical drawings must be detailed and correctly labelled and data fully analysed. Students must emphasize family specific anatomic details and must include scientific explanations of how these anatomic details reflect ecological adaptations.

Learning Outcomes

• Apply standard techniques to record variation and produce informative annotated drawings detailing the morphological characteristics of plants.

• Critically review the roles of plants and fungi and plant diversity in terrestrial ecosystems, their ecological and ethnobotanical importance, threats facing them and approaches for their conservation.

• Identify the structure and function of vegetative and reproductive structures of terrestrial green plants.

• Obtain, interpret and synthesise information from background reading and use it to effectively supplement lecture notes.