Undergraduate Course: Plant Geography (PLSC10018)
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 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Plant Science |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| 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 |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: Yes |
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 |
| No Exam Information |
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
| Essays |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | PLSCPlaGeog |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Catherine Kidner
Tel: (0131 6)51 3316
Email: Catherine.Kidner@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr David Brewster
Tel: (0131 6)50 5528
Email: David.Brewster@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 6:42 am
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