Undergraduate - UnitBIO3082 - Plant global change biology

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Science
Organisational Unit	School of Biological Sciences
Offered	Clayton Second semester 2014 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Professor John Beardall

Synopsis

How plants respond to their environment, from molecular changes in gene expression to effects on communities. Plant development and responses to environmental stresses such as drought, temperature and salinisation, and global climate change. Manipulation of plant performance by means of genetic engineering and the ethical issues involved.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

Describe the basic processes governing the ways in which plants respond to their environment, from alterations in patterns of gene expression, through differences in metabolic activities to changes in morphology;

Explain the mechanisms by which plants cope with specific stresses in their environments, including drought, salinisation, extreme temperatures and global climate change;

Demonstrate a critical, analytical approach to scientific research and have developed skills in writing scientific reports.

Assessment

Examination (2.5 hours): 60%
Practical work: 40%

Chief examiner(s)

Professor John Beardall

Workload requirements

Two 1-hour lectures and the equivalent of 3 hours laboratory work per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Ecology and conservation biology
Marine and freshwater biology
Plant sciences
Zoology

Prerequisites

12 points from level two BIO or GEN units. Recommended: BIO2282

Prohibitions

BIO2082