Green Planet: Plants and the Environment (BOTA20001)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject examines the critical roles that plants play in life on earth. It explores how plants capture energy and carbon in the biosphere and influence the atmosphere; absorb almost all mineral nutrients that enter our ecosystem and underpin the nutrition and food supply of animals and people; have a major effect on hydrology and climate due to their water use; and produce a wealth of products ranging from food on our plates to fuel for our cars. Weekly practicals allow hand-on experience with plants and involve experiments with light, gravity, nutrients and additional factors that affect plant growth. Topics covered include:
- Carbon and energy: gas exchange and atmosphere, plant productivity, carbon crediting, climate change, artificial environments;
- Water: uptake and loss, plants and the hydrological cycle, coping with drought, salinity and temperature extremes;
- Nutrition: essential elements, metabolic requirements, plants as part of the global nutrition cycle, biofortification to produce nutrient-enriched food;
- Renewable energy: biohydrogen, biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel, future directions for the biofuel industry.
Intended learning outcomes
The objectives of this subject are to:
- introduce plant structure and function in relation to the physical environment;
- demonstrate how a fundamental knowledge of plant structure and function is critical to understanding major global processes such as climate change, hydrology and agriculture;
- understand how plants adapt to natural environments and how they can be modified to survive in new environments and/or provide new products;
- increase awareness of environmental issue that affect plants in Australia;
- provide skills in laboratory-based experimental plant science.
Generic skills
At the completion of the subject students should have:
- knowledge of plant structure and function in relation to the physical environment;
- knowledge of how plants can be used to solve environmental problems;
- knowledge of environmental issues that affect plant function in Australia; and
- skills in laboratory-based experimental plant science.
Last updated: 20 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
One of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL10002 | Biomolecules and Cells | Semester 1 (Online) |
12.5 |
BIOL10008 | Introductory Biology: Life's Machinery |
Summer Term (Online)
Semester 1 (Online)
|
12.5 |
BIOL10009 | Biology: Life's Machinery | Semester 1 (Online) |
12.5 |
Pre 2021:
BIOL10004 - Biology of Cells and Organisms
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
AGRI20026 | Plant Growth Processes | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in practical class activities. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their participation are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Subject Coordinator and Student Equity and Disability Support.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 20 March 2025
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Written Assignment
| Week 7 | 20% |
Mid Semester Test | Week 8 | 20% |
Poster Presentation | Week 12 | 10% |
A written examination
| During the examination period | 50% |
Laboratory logbook Hurdle requirement: Satisfactory completion of a laboratory logbook during practical classes from weeks 1 - 11. The logbook will be due in week 12. | Week 12 | N/A |
Last updated: 20 March 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Berit Ebert Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours 2 x one hour lectures per week, 1 x three hour practical class per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 1 March 2021 to 30 May 2021 Last self-enrol date 12 March 2021 Census date 31 March 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 7 May 2021 Assessment period ends 25 June 2021 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours
Additional delivery details
This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory activities.
Last updated: 20 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Subject notes
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Informal specialisation Botany Major Botany Informal specialisation Science Discipline subjects - new generation B-SCI Informal specialisation Elective subjects for B-BMED - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 20 March 2025