This subject will introduce the general principles and modern methods of plant evolutionary biology: how to discover the phylogeny (relationships) of organisms using both morphological characters and molecular (DNA) data; how to use this information to improve the classification systems of plants; how to study aspects of evolution, coevolution and historical biogeography; and how to integrate information from living and fossil plants to discover the past and date evolutionary events. Examples of the diversity and evolution of Australian plants - both fossil and living forms - will be used throughout this subject. Topics will include:

• discovering plant relationships phylogenetic systematics;
• evolution of vascular plants, especially flowering plants;
• fossil history of land plants;
• historical biogeography and evolution of Australian flora.

This subject deals with how plants function in relation to changing physical environments and is designed for students interested in plant biology and physiology, including those seeking majors in plant science, agricultural science, landscape management, and environmental science. The practical work includes a six-week research project on topics selected by students and run in small groups of 2-3.

Topics to be covered will include:

• coping with environmental extremes and stress;
• water use and drought tolerance;
• plant defence and plant-animal interactions;
• nutrient cycling and nutrient-use efficiency;
• hyperaccumulation of toxic metals and phytoremediation.

This subject provides a detailed knowledge of vegetation structure and natural values of Victorian plant communities and their assessment, including environmental limiting factors, threats due to land use, development and fragmentation, and management issues related to environmental impact assessment and conservation of native vegetation. The subject will be based around short excursions to examine different vegetation types in the Melbourne region, and a series of special lectures by scientists, managers and consultants from both the government and private sectors. Topics will include:

• ecology and natural history of Victorian plant communities;
• environmental impacts and vegetation assessment;
• conservation and management issues (e.g. revegetation, rare species, fauna habitat, weed invasions);
• biodiversity legislation and government agencies;
• consulting services and client focus.

This subject will focus on processes that are unique to plants as well as current techniques for their investigation and manipulation in biotechnology, including genetic engineering and plant transformation. The subject includes study of the responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stress; cell wall biosynthesis, carbon dioxide fixation and concentrating mechanisms; cell-cell recognition; nutrient uptake and processing; and the organisation of the genome in plants and its modification by biotechnology.

This subject is structured around the fieldwork excursion in early February and covers the basic skills that are required to undertake a field-based botanical activity such as a flora survey or an environmental impact assessment, or to proceed to research in a field-based botanical discipline. Topics to be covered include:

• taxonomy of the Australian flora;
• field identification of major families and genera of plants;
• collection and preservation of plant specimens; mounting and cataloguing specimens; curatorial skills; nomenclature;
• techniques for description and classification of vegetation; structural types, floristic associations, measures of abundance (cover, density, basal area, biomass), sampling techniques (quadrats, line transects, plotless methods), sampling scale and species-area relationships, profile diagrams, life-form spectra;
• soils; and
• vegetation mapping.

The Science Research Project is an individual program of supervised research in which the student, in consultation with a supervisor, contributes to the design, execution and presentation of a research project. The project may be ‘stand-alone’ or part of a larger research program being undertaken by the supervisor. The specific details of the project, including its scope and the compilation, analysis and presentation of the results, are negotiated with the supervisor and, as appropriate, the Science Research Project Coordinator(s). Students can undertake a project in most disciplines within the Faculty of Science, and should approach a potential supervisor within a discipline area that is aligned to their research interests. Students will receive feedback on their progress through ongoing consultation with their supervisor.

This subject provides an opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience of scientific research, and is intended for undergraduate students who have achieved excellent results in the discipline related to the project. Undertaking the Science Research Project provides invaluable insights for students considering a career in scientific research.

Formerly BIOL30006 Plant Health and Improvement

This subject outlines the methods used to identify pathogens causing plant diseases, the consequences of diseases for plant productivity, and control of plant diseases. The links between classic plant pathology and modern molecular pathology techniques are explored as plant breeders and pathologists seek novel integrated disease management procedures to control pathogens.

Topics covered include:

• Taxonomy, identification and biology of the main groups of plant pathogens and abiotic causes of plant diseases
• Host pathogen relationships, and the nature of disease resistance and pathogenesis
• Methods to identify pathogens, and development of tools for diagnosis
• Processes leading to plant disease epidemics and their evaluation
• Evolutionary processes and genetic variability of plant and pathogen populations
• Management and integrated control of plant diseases

Practical work includes:

• Identification and diagnosis of common diseases
• Development of skills in research techniques and methodology in plant pathology

This subject explores the relevance of ecological and evolutionary theory for understanding the distributions of species, their interactions, their life history characteristics and how these traits are impacted by changing environmental conditions. Topics include spatial ecology and metapopulations, climatic impacts on distribution and abundance, life history evolution and ecosystem stability and resilience. The skills developed in this subject provide an essential grounding for careers in ecology.

At a global scale forests are valued and managed by societies in a wide range of ways for goods and services that reflect the needs of people and their aspirations for the environment. Combining biophysical understandings of forest ecosystems with the social context in which they exist, Forest Systems explores the complexity of Forest management and will provide students with a deep appreciation of the challenges and opportunities associated with taking care of the worlds’ forests in a sustainable way. The subject will be taught across 9 weeks including the first eight weeks of semester 1 and a pre-teaching week prior to commencement of semester 1. Starting with a 4-day field trip in the pre-teaching week (WEEK 1), students will immerse themselves directly in forests by visiting a range of sites and exploring several case studies and real-world scenarios to gain perspective and insights that they will draw on during subsequent semester activities. Through the first 8 weeks of semester (WEEKS 2 - 9), students will explore four themes where they will learn how science has shaped our understanding of what sustainable forest management is, how forest grow, develop and are utilised, the role fire in shaping forest ecosystems and how societal attitudes and values impact on the provision of forest ecosystem goods and services. Assessment tasks will link directly to each theme where students will be expected to critically analyse and communicate their understandings in a contextualised way while also reflecting on the activities and discussions undertaken during workshops.