Plant Evolution and Adaptation BIOR77

This is a course for students interested in the ecology, evolution and biodiversity of plants. Among other things, you will learn how plants adapt to their environment, how plants interact with other organisms, and how new plant species arise in changing environments. The course is broad in its content and touches upon topics such as natural selection, acclimation, ecophysiology, mutualism, pollination syndromes, genetic variation, speciation and conservation biology.

The education is given as lectures, laboratory work, group exercises, field exercises and seminars. An important part is to read and evaluate scientific articles. During the course, you conduct a literature project on a topic within the subject area. You read scientific papers, summarize facts and draw conclusions from the papers you read. The work is presented in written form and as an oral presentation.

Excursions

The course includes excursions to the Botanical garden, the Biological museum and some botanical localities in Skåne.

Exams

Examination is through a written exam, in combination with evaluation of the project report. The exam focuses on processes and relationships that are important for the understanding of plant evolution and adaptation.

And then...

The course is an important part of the Master's programme in Plant Science, but can also be included in, for instance, the Master's in Evolutionary Biology. It can also be combined with advanced courses in e.g. Soil and Plant Ecology, Molecular Ecology and Evolution and Conservation Biology.