Undergraduate Course: Plant Ecophysiology (ECSC10015)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Plant ecophysiology is concerned with the function and performance of plants in their natural environment. It bridges the gap between plant physiology and ecology. The course will consider physiological and ecological aspects of adaptation to different environments. Plants are remarkably well adapted to growing in a range of environments from the Antarctic to hot dry deserts. Ecophysiology is the scientific study of the processes that enable them to do so. By the end of the unit you should be able to discuss analytically the key physiological processes affecting plants growing in the natural environment. Examples are drawn from forests, agricultural systems and the natural environment and most will relate to plants at the individual or stand scale. Sessions will cover plant water relations, stomatal physiology, transpiration, photosynthesis, global change, below-ground processes and predictive modelling. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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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 |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course you should fully understand the principal features of plant ecophysiology. You will have a detailed understanding of physiological and ecological aspects of adaptation to different environments.
You should be able to:
-Understand which are the key environmental influences on plants.
-Explain how photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, water relations, and below ground processes are influenced by environmental variability.
-Explain why modelling is important to the understanding of how plants influence the environment and how the environment influences plants and (within this context) be aware of how to make judgements where data is limited or comes from a range of sources.
-Critically discuss the current and future impact of global change and understand how this may affect plants and the environments in which they live. This should be supplemented with an understanding of recent developments in this field.
-Critically review and consolidate knowledge within this subject and demonstrate some originality and creativity in dealing with professional level issues.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Plant Ecophysiology |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Gail Jackson
Tel: (0131 6)50 5436
Email: G.Jackson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Helen Mckeating
Tel: (0131 6)50 5430
Email: |
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