University of Essex

BS111-4-SP-CO:
Plant Biology and Ecosystems

The details

Year: 2023/24

Department: Life Sciences (School of)

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Spring

Level: Undergraduate: Level 4

Status: Current

Start date: Monday 15 January 2024

End date: Friday 22 March 2024

Credits: 15

Last updated: 13 February 2024

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

BSC C100 Biological Sciences,
BSC C101 Biological Sciences (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C102 Biological Sciences (Including Placement Year),
BSC CD00 Biological Sciences (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C520 Ecology and Environmental Biology,
BSC C521 Ecology and Environmental Biology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C522 Ecology and Environmental Biology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C523 Ecology and Environmental Biology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C161 Marine Biology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C164 Marine Biology,
BSC CC60 Marine Biology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC CC64 Marine Biology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C110 Biotechnology,
BSC C111 Biotechnology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C112 Biotechnology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C113 Biotechnology (Including Placement Year),
MSCIB097 Tropical Marine Biology,
MSCIBA97 Tropical Marine Biology (Including Placement Year),
MSCIBB97 Tropical Marine Biology (Including Year Abroad)

Module description

Living life on a knife`s edge - explore the vital role of plants play in our biosphere, their diversity and intricate relationships that support our planet; know the value of these natural resources; examine the consequences we face when the balance is disturbed.

From studying how plants affect and are affected by their environment you learn what we can expect from a changing world. Examine how we influence the world around us. You apply this knowledge to the field, learning to collect, present, analyse and eventually interpret data.Understanding the fundamentals of ecology and plant diversity allows you to explore possible solutions to our environmental problems.

Module aims

The aim of this module is:

To introduce students to the diversity, importance and wonder of plants together with an awareness of the biotic and abiotic factors influencing their distribution patterns in the biosphere.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of plants.

Describe the diversity, evolution and distribution of plants.

Explain how abiotic factors and biotic interactions relate to adaptations in anatomy and morphology of angiosperms.

Explain primary production and nutrient cycling.

Explain the unique features of plant biochemistry and metabolism including photosynthesis.

Describe the processes that determine Earth's climate (past, present and future), the links between the earth-atmosphere-ocean system and the role of organisms in climate.

Demonstrate competence in observation, experimentation and recording, analysis and presentation through laboratory field, group and individual work.

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

One 1-hour lecture per week.
One revision class before the MCQ team.
One revision class before the summer exam.
Four 3-hour practical sessions.
One 1-hour PC lab session.
One 3-hour PC lab session.

Lectures include information on directed learning material or equivalent.

Bibliography

Urry, L. et al. (2022b) Campbell Biology. 12th edition. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/663444.
Campbell, N.A. (2021a) Biology: A Global Approach. 12th Global Edition. Harlow, UK: Pearson. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/575248.
Campbell, N.A. (2021r) Biology: A Global Approach. Twelfth edition. Harlow, Essex: Pearson. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/575248.
Campbell, N.A. (2021o) Biology: A Global Approach. Twelfth edition. Harlow, Essex: Pearson. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/575248.
Waugh, D. (2009a) Geography: an integrated approach. 4th ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.
Relyea, R. and Ricklefs, R.E. (2021b) Ecology: The Economy of Nature. Ninth edition. New York, NY: Macmillan Learning. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/973464.
Charles J. Krebs (2014) Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. Sixth edition. Harlow: Pearson. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5174728.
Jones, A.M., Reed, R. and Weyers, J.D.B. (2016d) Practical skills in biology. Harlow, England: Pearson. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5175019.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Practical 2 - Photosynthetic pigments and photosynthesis	30%
Coursework	Practical 3 - Plant distribution and abiotic factors	30%
Coursework	Mastering Biology	10%
Practical	Practical 1 - Plant Nutrition	30%
Exam	MCQ exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 50 minutes during Early Exams
Exam	Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 60 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
Exam	Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 60 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)
Exam	Reassessment MCQ exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 50 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
33%	67%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
33%	67%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Dr Amanda Cavanagh, email: a.cavanagh@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Prof Tracy Lawson, Dr John Stamford, Dr John Ferguson, Dr Pallavi Singh

Contact details: School Undergraduate Office, email: bsugoffice (Non essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full email address)

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Prof Edgar Turner

Institution: University of Cambridge

Academic role: Professor of Insect Ecology

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 45 hours, 18 (40%) hours available to students:
27 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

Further information

Department website: Life Sciences (School of)

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Module Directory

BS111-4-SP-CO:Plant Biology and Ecosystems