BIOSCI 205 : Plant, Cell and Environment
Science
2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
The course is well suited for students with an interest in primary industry, biotechnology, plant-microbe interactions and/or ecology. The skills learned will prepare students for understanding the challenges plants are facing in a changing world, for growing crops to feed an increasing population while preserving resources and for plant conservation.
The course is designed to develop critical thinking, good scientific writing and presentation skills.
BIOSCI 205 can be taken as part of any BSc Biological Sciences (generic pathway) and is required for the Plant Biology pathway. It can also be taken as an optional paper for the Ecology pathway. The course provides a very good foundation for all year 3 plant courses.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
Learning Outcomes
- Describe what the basic structure of a plant is and apply their knowledge of plant structure to interpret, through microscopy, sections of plant material. (Capability 3 and 4)
- Describe and discuss how plant hormones affect plant development and how this knowledge is used to reprogram plant development in vitro for plant biotechnology. (Capability 2, 3, 4 and 5)
- Explain the metabolism that is special to plants. (Capability 2, 3 and 4)
- Prepare plant extracts, determine enzymatic activity, interpret and present data. (Capability 3 and 4)
- Describe and discuss how plants adapt their growth to changing environmental conditions and climate change. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
- Analyse and interpret the effect of different stressors on plant transpiration and stomata aperture on which they will write a report. (Capability 3, 4, 6 and 7)
- Compare and contrast different modes of nutrient assimilation by plants (Capability 2, 3 and 4)
- Evaluate the different ways plants interact with microorganisms both beneficial and pathogens (Capability 2, 3, 4 and 5)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratories | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Test | 35% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 35% | Individual Examination |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
| Laboratories | ||||||||||
| Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Tuākana
Tuākana Science is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials,
one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/pacific-in-our-faculty.html
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-in-our-faculty.html
For more information and to find contact details for the BIOSCI205 Tuākana coordinator, please see https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-and-pacific-at-the-faculty/tuakana-programme.html
Key Topics
Special Requirements
Attendance at all five laboratories is compulsory.
The In-course Test is an evening test, the date and time for the test is published in the BIOSCI 205 Canvas course.
Students are required to supply and wear a lab coat and safety glasses while in the teaching lab.
Workload Expectations
For this course, you can expect 30 hours of lectures, 15 hours of labs, 5 hours of tutorials, 40 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 40 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be taught in person and available online as recordings.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.
At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.
Staff welcome feedback on the course throughout the semester, including the SET evaluations. Please contact your course coordinator or student representative at any time with your feedback.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Copyright
The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.
You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.