BI2PW2: Plant World

Module code: BI2PW2

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Julie Hawkins, email: j.a.hawkins@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Jonathan Mitchley, email: j.mitchley@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to increase students’ appreciation and understanding of the fungi, lichens and land plants (mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and flowering plants). The aim is to deepen students’ knowledge of this diversity, including how taxonomists identify, classify and name plants and fungi, and how plant and fungal diversity is assessed in the field. Students will study the plant-fungal symbioses that more than 80% of land plants benefit from, to appreciate that whilst all life depends on plants, almost all plants depend on fungi. Students will deepen their understanding of plants habitats and plant ecology, reproductive biology and plant evolution through the use of carefully-chosen examples. Practical skills will be developed in the field and the laboratory, including setting up and analysing microcosm experiments. A visit to one of the following - Oxford Botanic Gardens/Royal Botanical Grdens, Kew or the Natural History Museum - will be scheduled in week 4.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Use botanical nomenclature, and have a working knowledge of plant and fungal classification and understand the processes of taxonomy 
2. Develop observational skills, to describe and identify plants, lichens and fungi  
3. Understand the roles of fungi and symbioses in ecosystems 
4. Develop familiarity with field botany and mycology 
5. Demonstrate knowledge of plant habitats and plant ecology, reproductive biology and plant evolution 
6. Set up a microcosm experiment, including inoculating of host plants, and recording and interpreting effects of fungal-plant interactions 

Module content

• Plant taxonomy and diversity 
• Fungi, lichens and plant-fungal relationships  
• Meetings with plants – oak, bracken, mistletoe and vanilla orchid.  
• Plant identification and field botany 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, lab-based practicals, fieldwork.  

Study hours

At least 40 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Practice practical test, week 9, 2 hours.  

Reassessment

Additional costs