BIO2181 - Evolution of Plant Diversity

• Unit information
• General Unit Information & Objectives
• Specific Unit Information

General Unit Information

Botany is a modern, dynamic, wide-ranging science. There are many kinds of botanists with different questions and approaches to understanding plant biology. Some study plant genes and molecules; others probe the inner workings of particular species, learning more of their nutrition and metabolism; still others investigate plants and their interactions with other organisms at the level of ecosystems, assessing botanical biodiversity and discovering new species or gaining new understanding of how natural environments might best be managed.

The Evolution of Plant Diversity examines the vast diversity of plant life and covers the basic characteristics of the fungi (and their role in symbioses and as plant pathogens), algae, bryophytes (e.g. the mosses), gymnosperms (cone bearing plants like the pines and cypress) and angiosperms (plants with flowers). The subject offers an understanding of the Australian flora and its diversity and evolutionary history. It also offers skills in plant identification essential to any plant biologist and an appreciation of how Australian plants have adapted to our unique environment.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students should have gained an understanding of plant diversity and evolutionary relationships within the plant kingdom, a basic knowledge of the Australian flora and developed practical skills in plant identification.

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Specific Unit Information

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