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BOTY370 Fungi, Plants and the Environment

Updated: 03 December 2009
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 1 Off Campus B - Internet access required
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
19 April 2010 22 April 2010 Mandatory
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites 72cp including BIOL110 and BIOL120 or candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions BOTY270
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) David Backhouse (dbackhou@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

Fungal diversity, fungal-plant interactions and roles of fungi in the environment will be examined. Topics include: Major groups of fungi; how a fungus works; fungi as plant pathogens; mycorrhizae and endophytes; fungi and animals; fungi as biocontrol agents; fungal toxins and useful products.
Prescribed Material
Mandatory 		Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material

Fungal Biology
ISBN: 9781405130660
Deacon, J., Blackwell 4th ed. 2005
Text refers to: Semester 1 , Off Campus
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Assignment 1 15% 1500
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 3, 5 GA: 1, 2, 4
Fungal Collection 20%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 3 GA: 2
Practical Report 15% 1500
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 3 GA: 2, 6
Final Examination 2 hrs 50%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 2-5 GA: 1

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. identify fungi using morphological keys;
  2. describe the basic anatomy and physiology of fungi;
  3. discuss the role of fungi in natural and managed ecosystems;
  4. describe the parasitic and mutualistic interactions between fungi and plants;
  5. demonstrate an understanding of how the biology and ecology of fungi have been exploited for human use.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students are taught core concepts in mycology in the study guide and intensive school and are introduced to new developments in the discipline arising out of current research. This knowledge is assessed in all assignments and the final examination 		True True
2 Communication Skills
Students are given tutorials in scientific writing. They prepare two major written assignments in different formats (essay and scientific paper) and are assessed on their abilities to meet discipline norms for these formats. They receive detailed feedback on their written language skills as well as their ability to present information 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
All unit content is related to the global context and differences between Australian and international practices highlighted. 		True
4 Information Literacy
Students are assessed on their ability to locate and evaluate information from primary sources for the first essay assignment. The ability to integrate information from different sources and high level referencing skills are major components of the assessment 		True
5 Life-Long Learning
Students are taught skills in formulating and testing hypotheses which they then use during the practical sessions at the residential school. They are also taught skills in observation and interpretation that are practiced in self-directed field work for the fungal collection assessment. These skills can be applied to many situations in life 		True True
6 Problem Solving
The major laboratory exercise which is written up in the practical report assessment uses a problem solving approach to a biological question. Students are taught the process of problem-solving and then have to devise a plan for answering the question, test the plan and evaluate it 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
The ethical issues in the collection of fungi from the wild, and the role of values in the interpretation and use of data, are taught in the unit content 		True
8 Team Work
Students work in teams for the assessable practical exercise and collaborate to build a consensus data set for the report. 		True
   

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