Course overview
This course provides an understanding of the diversity of plants and develops specialised technical skills in the identification of vascular plants. It is taught in the context of the origins of Australian flora with special emphasis on selected and iconic Australian groups including a strong theoretical and practical foundations. Students will gain an understanding of how to recognise and evaluate the status of flora related biodiversity leading to work ready practical applications and future research. The course enables students to build upon the programs biological principles preparing students to apply their knowledge to the effective recognition and management of biodiversity.
- Fundamentals
- Names and Data
- Applications
Course learning outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of the principles and practice of vascular plant identification
- Demonstrate understanding of botanical nomenclature, systems of classification and taxonomic concepts
- Infer the taxonomic status of unknown plant specimens and have the analytical tools to assess their conservation or introduced status
- Demonstrate understanding of how to collect plant specimens from the field and prepare them for lodgement in herbaria or equivalent natural history collections
- Demonstrate the ability to understand the nature of biodiversity of the flora for defined geographic areas and how to generate information that can be shared via national and international data sets
- Understand processes of plant evolution which underly the origins of existing biodiversity
Degree list
The following degrees include this course