Entry requirements

120 credits including Biology 55 credits and Faunistics and Floristics 5 credits

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to, based on basic level courses, provide a broadened and advanced knowledge of the diversity of organism groups traditionally included in the field of botany, using an evolutionary perspective Emphasis lies on the understanding of these organisms' variation, evolution, life strategies and role in the formation of our planet, their importance in different ecosystems and for human life and economy After the course, students will be able to

• give an account of important organism groups traditionally included in the field of botany (algae, fungi, plants), and their evolution and phylogeny
• produce, explain and compare life cycles of different organism groups and discuss evolutionary and ecological implications of different life strategies
• carry out botanical fieldwork including collecting material and morphological and ecological field observations
• plan a minor research project
• produce DNA sequences for phylogeny reconstruction – includes laboratory techniques and computer based alignment of the generated DNA sequences together with previously available data
• write scientific essays based on critical studies of scientific papers, literature and Internet sources
• oral presentation of scientific essays and critical participation in discussions
• in a critical way review and discuss evolutionary and other issues

Content

The course contains a combination of theory and practice; lectures connected with laboratory work; fieldwork in connection with the planning of a minor scientific study and molecular laboratory work and training the participants' ability to produce scientific texts, orally present scientific projects and review and discuss scientific texts critically.

The course participants come in contact with modern phylogenetic research in carrying out a project on their own. Phylogenetic methods are now widely used within several different fields, even within nature conservation. Several elements in the course give a good basis for the assessment of interaction between different groups of organisms and the environmental effects of dynamic processes important to the practice of biological nature conservation, and are also a basis for the understanding of the prerequisites for a sustainable development of ecosystem vis-à-vis human environmental impact.

Instruction

The teaching consists of lectures, laboratory sessions, supervised project work, study visits, seminars, excursion and a field trip. Participation in seminars, laboratory sessions, project work and field sections is compulsory.

Assessment

Parts of the course: Theory 9 credits project work 3 credits laboratory session 1.5 credits field studies 1.5 credits

The theory part is examined by a written exam, written and oral presentations of assignments and essays. The project work is examined through a written and an oral presentation including peer-review on another project. Laboratory sessions and field studies require active participation.