Postgraduate Course: Plant Geography (PGBI11012)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Biological Sciences |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
10 |
| Home subject area |
Postgraduate |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
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| Course description |
Biologists have sought to explain the uneven distribution of organisms across the globe for over two centuries, a field of enquiry called biogeography. It is still a vital research area in a time when we need to be able to predict how organisms will react to anthropogenic environmental change. However, because of the complex interplay of contemporary ecology, earth history, organismal extinction and evolution, universal biogeographic explanations are still elusive. This course provides a background to the discipline of plant geography, including an account of its history, as well as explanations of the most modern biogeographic tools such as molecular clocks. This material is interspersed with key environments lectures, which discuss key species-rich environments that are studied at RBGE and the University of Edinburgh. These illuminate the theoretical material with real examples, and highlight conservation issues |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| External To University | Lecture | | 1-11 | 09:00 - 12:00 | | | | |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1.History of plant geography
2.Basic outline of plate tectonics
3.Biogeographic techniques including vicariance (cladistic) biogeography, using phylogenies to test biogeographic hypotheses, molecular clock studies of divergence times
4.Knowledge of the floristic composition, ecology, biogeographic history and conservation issues relating to key species-rich plant environments
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Assessment Information
| Examination |
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Chris Jeffree
Tel: (0131 6)50 5554
Email: C.Jeffree@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Ms Ellen Glendinning
Tel: (0131 6)50 7366
Email: ellen.glendinning@ed.ac.uk |
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copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:24 am
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