Postgraduate Course: Evolution of Cryptogams and Fungi (PGBI11048)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Biological Sciences |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
20 |
| Home subject area |
Postgraduate |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
|
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| Course description |
This course covers the evolution of vascular and non-vascular plants, and fungi.
The non-vascular plants (cryptogams), i.e. mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and the algae are structurally diverse and phylogenetically heterogeneous: many are more closely related to various groups of heterotrophic protists than to each other. The course will examine the molecular and ultrastructural evidence for relationships among algal and fungal groups, and the extraordinary variation in morphology, dispersal mechanisms and life histories will be surveyed with reference to current controversy about microbial biogeography and conservation. The diversity and evolution of Fungi and lichens will be presented. Special mechanisms of evolution, not operating in higher plants, particularly endosymbiosis, will be highlighted. The time-scale of evolution of algae and bryophytes will be examined and the evolution of terrestrial plants from green algae discussed in relation to ultrastructural and molecular data and fossil evidence from the early Palaeozoic. The origins, diversity and distributions of bryophytes will be discussed.
Today, most terrestrial environments are dominated, in terms of biomass and productivity, by flowering plants. This is a relatively recent phenomenon, however, and for much of the time since vascular plants colonized the land, probably in the Silurian (417-433 Mya), the principal groups of plants on land were spore-producing 'pteridophytes' and various types of early seed plants. This course will examine the time-scale and nature of land plant evolution since the Silurian, the fossil and molecular genetic evidence for land plant evolution, and the special features of the principal plant groups. We will discuss the evolutionary significance of key innovations in structure and life history and explore their consequences for plant geography and conservation. Throughout, full use will be made of the excellent collections of living plants at RBG |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites |
It is RECOMMENDED that students also take
Biodiversity (ZLGY10017)
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| Prohibited Combinations |
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Other requirements |
None
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| Additional Costs |
none |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Full Year, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| External To University | Lecture | | 1-22 | | | | 09:00 - 12:00 | |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1.Basic understanding of algal and fungal diversity (incl. morphology, cell structure and level of organization) to phylum level, and their association as lichens.
2.Ability to evaluate different sources of phylogenetic information (e.g. molecular sequence data, ultrastructure, morphology) for understanding algal, fungal and protist evolution.
3.Knowledge of the evolutionary history and time-scale of non-vascular plants, including the development of the first terrestrial plants from green algae.
4.Discussion of key adaptations in heterokontophyte algae and in the earliest land plants.
5.Awareness of the special features of algal, fungal and bryophyte life cycles and evaluation of how these may affect conservation strategies for non-vascular plants.
6.Knowledge of life cycle variation in land plants and the genetic consequences of different life cycle patterns
7.Understanding of the special features of the life cycle and dispersal mechanisms are relevant to the development of conservation strategies for (non-angiosperm) vascular plants.
8.Ability to interpret the structure and functional anatomy of plants belonging to the principal groups of living and fossil land plants.
9.Knowledge of the history and time-scale of land plant evolution, and evaluation of the principal types of evidence underlying
10.Discussion of key adaptations occurring during land-plant evolution.
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Assessment Information
| Examination |
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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