2010-11 Academic Year
Botany (20336)
Qualification/course: Bachelor's Degree in Human Biology
Year: 1
Term: 3.
Number of ECTS credits: 4
Number of study hours: 100
Course Language(s): Catalan / Spanish
Teaching staff: Dr. Lluís Cardona, Dr. Elisabeth Moyano and Dr. Javier Palazón
1. Presentation of the course
Botany is an obligatory subject in the Human Biology syllabus and is taught in the first year of the degree course. It has a value of 4 ECTS credits: 20 hours of theory, 12 hours of face-to-face activities and 16 hours of practical sessions. The coordinator and lecturer responsible for the theoretical content is Dr. Lluís Cardona, and the coordinator and lecturer responsible for the practical subject matter is Dr. Elisabeth Moyano. Students may address them by e-mail with any queries that they consider appropriate.
2. Competences to be achieved
The aim of the course is for students to acquire a general vision of plant diversity, plant reproductive systems and the secondary metabolism of plants, especially those aspects which are relevant from a pharmaceutical and industrial point of view.
3. Contents
Part 1. Plant diversity and evolution
Module 1
Systematic Botany. The concept of species. Taxonomic categories. Nomenclature. Classification of plant diversity. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 2
Fungi: the divisions Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Lichens. Secondary metabolism molecules of pharmaceutical and industrial interest. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 3
Algae: the divisions Cyanophyta, Rhodophyta, Ochrophyta, Dinophyta and Chlorophyta. Secondary metabolism molecules of pharmaceutical and industrial interest. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 4
The tracheophytes. The organisation of vascular plants and their adaptation to terrestrial environments. (Lecture: 1 hour)
Module 5
The spermatophytes or gymnosperms. (Lecture: 1 hour)
Module 6
The angiosperms: spermatophytes with carpels and double fertilisation. Structure of the flower. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 7
Chemical ecology: the defences of the vascular plants. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 8
Medicinal plants: introduction to phytotherapy. (Lecture: 2 hours) Seminar 1: 4 hours)
Part 2. Plant propagation
Module 9
Vegetative propagation. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 10
In vitrocultivation. Seminar 2: 4 hours)
Module 11
Sexual reproduction in the spermatophytes. Formation of fruit. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Module 12
Physiology of flowering. Photoperiodism. (Lecture: 2 hours)
Practical sessions
There are five practical sessions in the laboratory (13 hours) and 1 field trip (3 hours).
Practical Session 1. Reconstruction of phylogenies
Duration: 3 hours
Practical Session 2. Visit to the Botanical Garden
Duration: 3 hours
Practical Session 3. Identification of angiosperms
Duration: 2 hours
Practical Session 4. Plant micropropagation
Duration: 2 hours
Practical Session 5. Identification of medicinal plants and drugs of plant origin
Duration: 3 hours
Practical Session 6. Chemical analysis of plant-derived drugs
Duration: 3 hours
4. Assessment
To assess the academic performance of students both the theoretical and practical content of the course will be taken into account. Assessment will be continuous. Students' participation during seminars will be assessed during the course and will account for 20% of the final mark. The practical sessions will also be assessed as they are carried out and will account for 20% of the final mark. The multiple-choice test which will be held at the end of the term will account for 40% of the final mark. The essay exam also held at the end of the term will account for 20% of the final mark. Both tests will assess not only theoretical knowledge, but also the practical knowledge of the subject.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
CARRIÓN, J. S. Evolución vegetal. Múrcia: D. M., 2003.
IZCO J. i d'altres. Botánica. Madrid: McGraw-Hill-Interamericana de España, 1997.
MAUSETH, J. D. Botany. An introduction to Plant Biology. Boston: Jones & Bartlett Publ, 1998.
NABORS, M. W. Introducción a la botánica. Madrid: Pearson, 2006.
TORMO, R. Lecciones hipertextuales de botánica. 1997.
(HYPERLINK, http://www.unex.es/botanica/presenta.htm http://www.unex.es/botanica/presenta.htm)
5.2. Complementary bibliography
BOLÒS, O. de et al. Flora manual dels Països Catalans. Barcelona: Pòrtic, 1993.
FONT QUER, P. Diccionario de botánica. Barcelona: Labor, 1989.
GRAHAM, L. E.; WILCOX, E. W. Algae. Prentice Hall, 2000.
HENRY, R. J. Plant diversity and evolution. CAB International, 2005.
HEYWOOD, V. H.; BRUMMITT, R. K.; CULHAM, A.; SEBERG, O. Flowering plant families of the world. Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. 2007.
KENRICK, P.; DAVIS, P. Fossil Plants. Londres: Natural History Museum, 2004.
NUENT, J.; PANADERA, J. A.; ROMO, A. Vegetació de Catalunya. Vic: Eumo, 1992.
RITA, J. i d'altres. Herbari virtual de les Illes Balears (http://herbarivirtural.uib.es).
SPOONER, B. Fungi. Harper Collins, 2005.
TREASE, G. E.; EVANS, W. C. Tratado de farmacognosia. 13a. edició. Madrid: Interamericana, 1991.
WILLIS, K. J.; MCELWAIN, J. C. The evolution of plants. Oxford University Press, 2001.
SMITH, J. D. An Introduction to Parasitology. 3a. ed. Hodder & Stoughton, 1996.
6. Methodology
The course combines lectures with seminars and practical sessions. The students will be divided into two groups for the seminars and into four groups for the practical classes.
7. Activities schedule
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Theory |
Seminar |
Practicals |
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Lesson No. |
Number of hours |
Seminar No. |
Number of hours |
Practical Session No. |
Number of hours |
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Week 1 |
Module 1 |
2 |
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Module 2 |
2 |
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1 |
3 |
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Week 2 |
Module 3 |
2 |
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Week 3 |
Modules 4-5 |
2 |
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2 |
3 |
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Module 6 |
2 |
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Week 4 |
Module 7 |
2 |
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3 |
2 |
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Module 8 |
2 |
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Week 5 |
Module 9 |
2 |
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4 |
2 |
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Week 6 |
Module 11 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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1 |
2 |
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Week 7 |
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5 |
3 |
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Week 8 |
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6 |
3 |
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Week 9 |
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2 |
2 |
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Week 10 |
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2 |
2 |
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