Green Planet: Plants and the Environment (BOTA20001)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1
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This subject examines the importance of plants for our planet and all life. It explores how plants capture energy and carbon in the biosphere, absorb almost all mineral nutrients that enter our ecosystem and underpin the global food supply, adapt to a wide range of environmental extremes and pathogens, and produce seeds and fruits that we consume. Weekly practicals allow hands-on experience with plants and involve experiments and discussion around light, nutrients and other factors affecting plant growth. Topics covered include: 

  • Carbon: carbon metabolism within the plant as well as symbiotic microbiomes of the rhizosphere and soil; 
  • Water: developmental and physiological strategies used by plants to take up water from soil, retain water in cells, and transpire water into the atmosphere; 
  • Abiotic stress: how plants cope and adapt to salinity, high and low temperature and other environmental extremes; 
  • Nutrition: essential elements for plant growth, plants as part of the global nutrition cycle, biofortification to produce nutrient-enriched food; 
  • Biotic interactions: plant pathogens and mechanisms that plants have developed to fight them; 
  • Seeds and fruits: flower development, pollination and fertilization 

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Relate plant structure and function to the physical environment;
  • Demonstrate how fundamental knowledge of plant structure and function is critical to our understanding of major global processes such as climate change, nutrient cycles and plant-pathogen interactions;
  • Examine how plants adapt to natural environments and how they can be modified to survive in new environments and/or provide new products;
  • Describe environmental issues that impact on plants in Australia; and
  • Communicate scientific findings in both written and oral format.

Generic skills

At the completion of the subject students should have a variety of transferable skills including:

  • Developed critical thinking skills;
  • Developed problem-solving skills in relation to plants, the physical environment, and environmental issues that affect plant function in Australia;
  • Acquired analytical skills required to use plants to solve environmental problems; and
  • Developed laboratory skills for 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 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10008 Foundational Biology: Life's Machinery
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10009 Biology: Life's Machinery
Not available in 2025
 12.5
BIOL10001 Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10010 Foundational Biology: Life's Complexity
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10011 Biology: Life's Complexity
Not available in 2025
 12.5
BIOM10002 Exploring Biomedicine
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
AGRI10044 Plant Systems
Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)
 12.5
AGRI10048 Plant Production Systems
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
AGRI10050 Agricultural Systems Biology
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
AGRI20043 Biochemistry in Agricultural Systems
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
UNIB10009 Food for a Healthy Planet
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
No longer available
AGRI10051 Genetics for Agriculture
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Pre 2021:

BIOL10004 - Biology of Cells and Organisms

OR

CHEM10009 - Chemistry for BioSciences

OR

a minimum of 12.5 credit points in Level 1 biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, agriculture, chemistry, biomedicine, mathematics, geography, or environments as approved by the subject coordinator.

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
AGRI20026 Plant Growth Processes
Semester 1 (On Campus - 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

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Individual written practical report

  • 800 words
Week 620%

Individual Mid Semester Test

  • 45 minutes
Week 720%

Group presented poster on practical work (combined oral and poster presentation) in groups of 2-3 students. 600 words total, 8 mins .

  • 600 words (total)
Week 1210%

A written examination

  • 2 hours
During the examination period50%

Laboratory practical attendance and logbook entry

Hurdle requirement: Students must have >80% overall attendance of practical classes and satisfactory completion of one laboratory logbook (including logbook entries for >80% of the practicals) during practical classes from weeks 1 - 11) 		From Week 1 to Week 11N/A

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    CoordinatorBhawana Bhatta Kaudal
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours2 x one hour lectures per week, 1 x three hour practical class per week
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025
    Last self-enrol date14 March 2025
    Census date31 March 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025
    Assessment period ends27 June 2025

    Semester 1 contact information

    bhawana.bhattakaudal@unimelb.edu.au

Time commitment details

Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Additional delivery details

This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory activities.

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 20 March 2025