Outline

Overview

We are surrounded by plants, and rely on them every day for our wellbeing. Ecologists use botanical knowledge to help manage marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and public health and land management professionals depend on their understanding of plant science to help solve environmental problems and to enhance biosecurity. Botany aims to increase and improve our supply of medicines, foods, and other plant products, and is critical for anyone interested in contributing to the sustainable future of our planet. In this unit, you will explore the origins, diversity, and global significance of plants. You will gain insights into the micro- and macro-evolutionary processes and patterns behind how plants moved from aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial ecosystems. Integrated lectures, practical classes, and extensive online resources will allow you to develop and integrate practical skills and conceptual frameworks in plant identification, plant physiology, plant anatomy, and plant morphology. Successful completion of Botany will allow you to contribute to a range of disciplines including: ecology, bioinformatics, molecular and cell biology, genetics and biotechnology, environmental law, agriculture, education and the arts.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	BIOL2030
Academic unit	Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	BIOL2023 or BIOL2923 or PLNT2001 or PLNT2901 or PLNT2002 or PLNT2902 or PLNT2003 or PLNT2903 or BIOL2930
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Knowledge of concepts and skills in BIOL1XX6
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Rosanne Quinnell, rosanne.quinnell@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Marcus Heisler, marcus.heisler@sydney.edu.au
	Brian Jones, brian.jones@sydney.edu.au
	Rosanne Quinnell, rosanne.quinnell@sydney.edu.au
	Charles Warren, charles.warren@sydney.edu.au
	Mary Byrne, mary.byrne@sydney.edu.au
	Matthew Pye, matthew.pye@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Theory exam Written examination. For RE students exam online.	35%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Quizzes (best 5 marks used) Complete in online in LMS. There are 7 quizzes, check due dates on CANVAS.	15%	Multiple weeks	20 min/quiz
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Anatomy of a native seedling Assessment is conducted in class (CC), or online (RE).	20%	Week 12	3 h
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Prac test Prac test	30%	Week 13	2 h
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Quizzes: During the semester we will offer you as series of quizzes that we require you to complete within 1 week. The feedback from these quizzes will be useful in directing your learning to improve the understanding of key concepts.
Anatomy assignment: You will be assessed on your ability to identify plant tissues and the botanical inferences you draw from your observations of material provided. This is an in-class assessment.
Prac test: Offered in your scheduled lab class time in Week 13. CC: in teaching lab (Carslaw 408); RE: online test.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	At HD level, a student demonstrates a flair for the subject as well as a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates the ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding to produce original solutions for novel or highly complex problems and/or comprehensive critical discussions of theoretical concepts.
Distinction	75 - 84	At DI level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘Distinction’ reflects excellent achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding of the subject to produce good solutions for challenging problems and/or a reasonably well-developed critical analysis of theoretical concepts.
Credit	65 - 74	At CR level, a student demonstrates a good command and knowledge of the unit material. A ‘Credit’ reflects solid achievement and is awarded to a student who has a broad general understanding of the unit material and can solve routine problems and/or identify and superficially discuss theoretical concepts.
Pass	50 - 64	At PA level, a student demonstrates proficiency in the unit material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory achievement and is awarded to a student who has threshold knowledge.
Fail	0 - 49	FA grade is awarded to a student who has not been able to demonstrate that they have meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

5%/day for quizzes and anatomy assignment.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. A walk in time 2. From the sea to the shore	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	The marine environment: Algae diversity	Practical (3 hr)
Week 02	1. I’m down here! 2. Shifting generational dominance	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Terrestrial transition: Bryophytes & Lycophytes	Practical (3 hr)
Week 03	5. Evolution of the seed: gymnosperms 6. The earliest radiations of angiosperms	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Monilophyte and gymnosperm diversity	Practical (3 hr)
Week 04	7. Mechanisms of pattern development in angiosperms 8. Evolution of flowers.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Plants that flower - Angiosperm diversity	Practical (3 hr)
Week 05	9. Evolution of flower function 10. How have nucleotide sequences changed our view of relationships?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Evolution case study: Eucalypt systematics and phylogenetics	Practical (3 hr)
Week 06	11. The rise and diversification of monocots – how to spot a monocot 12. Eudicot diversity and phylogeny.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Our Sydney Flora 1	Practical (3 hr)
Week 07	13. Evolution of the Australian flora I 14. Evolution of the Australian flora II	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Our Sydney Flora 2	Practical (3 hr)
Week 08	15. Endosymbiosis & energetics 16. Biological carbon capture incl. CAM, C4	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Angiosperm plant body: the tissue systems	Practical (3 hr)
Week 09	PUBLIC HOLIDAY; 18. Building plant tissues	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Shoot structure - primary stems & light harvesting structures	Practical (3 hr)
Week 10	19. Short distance transport 20. Transport of sugars: phloem	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Primary roots	Practical (3 hr)
Week 11	21. Water transport: xylem; 22. Why are there limits to tree height?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Secondary growth in stems and roots	Practical (3 hr)
Week 12	23. Plant nutrition; 24. Soil and plant-soil interactions	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Anatomy assignment (BIOL2030 only) COMPULSORY	Practical (3 hr)
Week 13	25. Environmental stress responses I 26. Environmental stress responses II	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Practical test.	Practical (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance requirements for this unit of study have been amended. Where online tutorials/workshops/virtual laboratories have been scheduled, students should make every effort to attend and participate at the scheduled time. Penalties will not be applied if technical issues, etc. prevent attendance at a specific online class. In that case, students should checkin with the coordinator and ensure they use the available online resources (offered in LMS).

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Evert RF and Eichhorn SE. 2013. Raven: Biology of Plants. 8th Ed. Freeman & Co Publishers. New York. NY.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. explain the evolution of land plants and how plants are able to respond to their environment
LO2. identify the major plant families of the Sydney region and the tissue systems of plants
LO3. use cladistics to solve simple phylogenies and draw from these inferences about relatedness of taxa
LO4. demonstrate a thorough understanding of plant anatomy by describing features of the primary plant body and the secondary plant body of Angiosperms
LO5. adopt a mindful disposition and a scholarly approach towards your studies in Botany.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit of study has tracked very well with respect to the end of semester unit of study evaluations; i.e. ~4/5 for overall satisfaction.The teaching staff will be asking for your feedback as the unit is in progress and this allows us to address issues when they arise. Please note that we make modifications to the unit each year in response to the feedback you offer to us either as the unit is in train or when we analyse the US evaluation data.

Additional information

Additional costs

Please note that you are required to purchase your own laboratory coat and purchase a copy of the laboratory manual (e-copy in LMS).

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

BIOL2030: Botany

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect