CLB-10803 Reproduction of Plants

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

Dutch

Assumed knowledge on:

PPH-10806 Structure and Function of Plants.

Continuation courses:

MOB-20803 Mechanisms of Development, CLB-30306 Cell Biology and Advanced Imaging Technologies, PPH-30306 Plant Cell and Tissue Culture

Contents:

Sexual reproduction is one of the major characteristics of eukaryotes and involves a regular alternation between meiosis and fertilization. This course focuses on the basic principles of plant reproduction and the evolution of reproductive strategies in mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms. This knowledge is used as basis to explain structural and physiological aspects of sexual reproduction in dicot and monocot angiosperm species, such as flower induction, flower development, fertilization, embryogenesis, seed development and dispersal, and fruit-development.
This course aims to develop insight into evolutionary, regulatory and structural aspects of the reproductive strategies of plants. During the practicals experimental techniques used to investigate structural and physiological aspects of plant reproduction are taught and practiced with the aim to prepare students to independently interpret reproductive strategies of any plant species.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expecte to be able to:
- recognize and describe the reproductive structures of mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms (dicots, eudicots and monocots);
- describe the main evolutionary steps in reproductive strategy, plant structure and anatomy from mosses to angiosperms;
- describe the regulation of flowering;
- make and interpret (microscopical) preparations of plants from different evolutionary groups with a focus on their reproductive structures and document the findings in a drawing;
- recognize and apply methods of investigation in cell biological, anatomical and physiological studies in the field of plant reproduction;
- are familiar with the (theoretical) backgrounds of the processes that regulate reproductive strategies of plants, both from an anatomical/cell biological and a physiological point of view;
- design, carry out, interpret and document experiments in the field of reproductive strategies of plants.

Activities:

The course consists of lectures and practicals. In the practical part experiments that focus on structural and physiological aspects of plants reproduction will be performed; this part also includes discussion sessions on the results of the practicals.

Examination:

- computer exam, containing 50 - 100 questions (85%);
- workbook of morphological practicals (15%);
The minimum score for each part is 5.0.

Literature:

A textbook: Authors Evert, R.F.; Eichhorn, S.E. (2013). Raven - Biology of Plants, 8th ed., 727 [116] p. ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-1961-7, and a syllabus with study guide will be used.