University of Technology Sydney

91270 Plant Physiology and Climate Change

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Science: Life Sciences
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): ( 91123 Nature and Evolution OR ((65212 Chemistry 2 OR 65213 Chemistry 2 (Advanced))))

Recommended studies:

Students are strongly advised to have previously completed a subject or training in basic ecology and/or biological science.

Description

Plants are the cornerstone of energy capture and transformation of all ecosystems. The productivity of plants and their influence on water, carbon, nutrient and energy cycles is central to the functioning of landscapes. Gaining an understanding of the physiology and ecophysiology of plants is essential for anyone pursuing a career in environmental science, whether in research or applied fields. It also scaffolds an understanding of the impacts of climate change on native environments and agricultural systems.

This subject introduces the key concepts, processes and techniques required to understand the basics of the physiology of plants and their physiological interactions with the abiotic environment (ecophysiology). Students learn using a combination of weekly self-paced videos and associated learning materials, writing and answering concept-check questions for and from their peers, and applying knowledge and skills through campus-based, hands-on practical work, including a major group-designed and lead glasshouse experiment. Concepts learned include how plants fix carbon, long-distance water and solute transport into and through plants, movement and control of water fluxes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, comparative physiology of plants in contrasting environments and physiological responses of plants to environmental and climatic stress.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Explain how, why and where water and ions are transported through plants.
2. Distinguish and evaluate the different plant strategies for capturing light and the processes governing carbon capture by leaves and canopies.
3. Evaluate, through examples, different plant ecophysiological responses to different habitats, environmental disturbances and climate change.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of important cultural considerations for working effectively with and for, Indigenous Australians in plant ecophysiological research on Country.
5. Actively and respectfully engage with peers and team members in collaborative learning and professional research contexts.
6. Work as part of a team to collaboratively design and conduct a glasshouse experiment to investigate the effects of environmental stress on plants, using current ecophysiological methodologies and techniques.
7. Apply an understanding of plant physiology and ecophysiology to formulate hypotheses and critically interpret experimental findings in a scientific research report.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of following course intended learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate theoretical and technical knowledge of the principles of biodiversity and ecosystem function and evaluate and integrate principles of sustainability and conservation to protect biodiversity. (1.1)
  • Critically evaluate scientific evidence and literature and apply effective and appropriate experimental design and analytical techniques to discover and hypothesise solutions to new and emerging environmental issues. (2.1)
  • Demonstrate professionalism, including personal organisation, autonomy, teamwork, literacy and quantitative skills, while ensuring due consideration to ethical guidelines, work health and safety and environmental impact requirements. (3.1)
  • Evaluate evolving concepts in environmental science and apply scientific skills to design creative solutions to contemporary or complex environmental issues by incorporating innovative methods, reflective practices, and self-directed learning. (4.1)
  • Communicate effectively and professionally (oral, written, visual), generating defensible, convincing arguments for relaying research findings or articulating complex issues, concepts or skill around environmental science, within a multi-disciplinary setting. (5.1)
  • Acquire knowledge of Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people's unique connection to the environment, developing professional cultural capability to work effectively with and for, Indigenous Australians within environmental professions. (6.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

Learning in this subject contributes to the graduate profile through developing the following Graduate Attributes:

1. Disciplinary knowledge in terms of the underlying theories of plant physiology and plant responses to environmental factors are learnt through lectures, PeerWise exercises, practical classes and project work and assessed through all three assessment tasks. The development of logical thought and problem solving will be fostered through interactive lectures and laboratory exercises, including data collection, analyses and interpretation.

2. A Research, inquiry and critical thinking approach is especially developed through the execution of a self-initiated group project. You will develop hypotheses about a particular aspect of plant function that interests your group and address this hypothesis by designing and conducting a plant physiological experiment drawing on the core lab skills learned in the directed practical classes. You will analyse, critically interpret and communicate your research findings in the two data reports and group project report. An important aspect of this graduate attribute is well-supported hypotheses and reflection on the extent to which these were, or were not, met by your results. The data reports and group project report will assess these aspects. Additionally, you will apply your learned insights to critically evaluate scientific evidence in the quizzes.

3. Professional, ethical and social responsibility will be core to your approach to the group project when applying the techniques and skills gained through practical classes; however, these aspects also are important for the PeerWise and two data report activities. Professional, ethical and social responsibility will be developed and assessed in a range of ways, including:

  • Responsible data handling: fulfilling your professional obligation to the entire class will be reinforced through accurate recording and timely uploading of data for the two prac data reports.
  • Answering questions of your peers in Peer Wise, rating them and providing respectful written feedback will form part of your assessment for the PeerWise task.
  • Research skills: design, evaluation and interpretation of experimental data, assessed in the group project report.
  • Adherence to formal written requirements: presentation of figures, tables and charts in a scientific report format, assessed in the data reporting tasks and the group project report.
  • Group work is central to the successful implementation of the group project. Allocation of tasks and responsibilities across group members, good time management and meeting obligations of the team are critical to a successful project. Active engagement as a team member will form part of your assessment for the group project report.

4. Reflection, Innovation, and Creativity will be demonstrated (and assessed in the write-up) in the design of the content of the project, evaluation of its effectiveness and reflection on how future experiments might improve outcomes.

5. Communication skills will be learned through a series of formative tasks, as demonstrated by the correct use of the English language in written assignments and the quizzes, as well as through the correct application, communication of the results of statistical tests, inference, discussion and presentation of logical arguments and conclusions. Proficiency in these skills will be developed and assessed via short data reporting tasks and assessed in the group project report and quizzes.

6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Connection with Country. You will learn from researchers about how western science plant physiological research and Indigenous Knowledges can be brought together to understand plant responses to climate change. You will have the opportunity to consolidate your learning in the PeerWise exercises and this graduate attribute will be assessed through the quiz component.

Teaching and learning strategies

So that your learning is iterative throughout the session, we have designed the activities and associated assessment tasks to continually test and build on your conceptual understanding. These activities comprise both timetabled and self-guided activities, which feed into one another, along with three assessed quizzes during the session. The timetabled activities are: weekly lecture components (2 hours pw) online and nine face-to-face prac classes (four 2-hr and five 3-hr sessions) on campus, in the laboratory and glasshouse. The self-guided elements include weekly online peer-learning activities and online/face-to-face group work with your group project teams.

The iterative, reflective structure is designed to support you in making new connections, to place details in broader contexts and to take responsibility for your own intellectual and scientific development – none of which an algorithm can do for you. Using AI shortcuts not only means that you miss the opportunity for fully growing your brain, but also often results in wrong answers (remember – ChatGPT can’t think, and the material it generates is often fictitious). So, please embrace the sometimes bumpy, but rewarding learning journey and growing your brain without AI shortcuts!

LECTURE COMPONENTS

The backbone of your conceptual learning will be via pre-recorded lecture segments and associated material. At the beginning of each week, you will work through a total of approximately 2 hours’ worth of several shorter (5-30 minute) lecture videos before your prac session to be held in that same week. The lecture components will be made available to you as early as possible at the beginning of each week, so that you have time to work through the material before your prac session.

Lecture components will contain practice questions to help you test your understanding and guide your review of the material. These questions will also be good practice for your assessed quizzes that occur during the session.

PRACTICAL CLASSES (PRACS)

The hands-on practical sessions are absolutely central to your learning in this subject and you are expected to attend all pracs. Experienced staff in the pracs will facilitate learning through discussion and question/answer dialogue throughout each session, with opportunities to talk to and receive feedback from teaching associates (TAs) on your work.

The nine pracs in this subject can be broadly defined into two categories: 1) group project and 2) practical application.

  1. Group project: 4 x 2-hr pracs and 3 x 3-hr pracs, commencing Week 2 (schedule varies - see weekly Canvas modules and announcements). Group project pracs will be run in the laboratory and the UTS Glasshouse Facility.

Collaborative research projects are no longer the exception in science – they are a necessity for high quality research outcomes. Group-run projects also allow us to appreciate the benefits and work with the challenges associated with working as a member of a team. A mature approach to teamwork is a greatly valued skill, highly sought by employers.

In the group project pracs, you will work within your project teams to design and carry out your group experiment, which will run throughout most of the session and form the basis for your group project report. You will form project teams and commence planning your group project from as early as Weeks 1 and 2. The group project pracs will involve working in your team to brainstorm and develop your experimental design, select and pot out your plant species, conduct the research, collect data and prepare results for the group project report.

  1. Practical application: 2 x 3-hr pracs, both run in the laboratory.

These important sessions are vital to:

  1. applying concepts explored in lectures in a hands-on setting,
  2. developing your understanding of methods, equipment and techniques to consider for your group experiment and group project,
  3. building laboratory skills, including rigorous data collection and results reporting, valued by many employers as important employee attributes.

These pracs are enquiry-based, where you will conduct plant physiology experiments designed to develop your ability to follow a line of scientific enquiry, i.e., you will learn by doing. Most practical exercises are conducted in small groups. The class data generated in these pracs will be used for your short individual data reporting assessment tasks, which are due at least two weeks after the corresponding prac. Note: some group project activities will also be covered in these two practical application pracs.

SELF-GUIDED TASKS

Aside from the lecture components, above, there are three other important self-guided learning tasks in this subject, which run throughout the session.

  1. PeerWise activities. To develop understanding of key concepts in the subject, writing and answering practice questions is a valuable tool in learning and also helps test comprehension prior to the quiz assessment tasks. You will use an online interface called PeerWise to (i) write four questions for your class peers based on learning in the subject, (ii) to answer four questions by your peers and (iii) rate and provide feedback on peer questions. Activities in PeerWise can provide an excellent study experience, so use of PeerWise beyond the required questions/answers is encouraged.
  2. Prac scaffolding. Prior to prac sessions, you will complete Canvas activities, including reviewing experimental design scenarios, to guide you through the core elements of each practical session and help identify known snag points in the pracs. These pre-work activities will provide the scaffolding framework needed to get the most from each practical session and to design a robust group experiment.

Project team collaboration. A key active learning element of this subject is generating and building on ideas for the group project, which are initially developed within your project team outside of scheduled class-time. This preparation is important for the interactive discussion and feedback with teaching staff during pracs in person, where you will critically evaluate and refine your ideas. The group project work outside class hours is greatly enhanced by some in-person meetings with your team; however, additionally, each project team will set up a MS Teams chat group for discussion and sharing resources related to your chosen plant physiology/eco-physiology topic aligned with your project. You will also use this site to keep your experimental data accessible to all members of your team and to keep on top of individual responsibilities and tasks within the group.

Content (topics)

The physiology of cells, tissues, organs and whole plants and the interaction of plants with their environment (i.e., ecophysiology) will be discussed using predominantly Australian examples. Core themes include:

Leaf and canopy uptake of carbon: photosynthesis across scales

  • Photosynthesis, light and gas exchange
  • Regional and global networks for monitoring photosynthesis, transpiration and global fluxes of carbon dioxide
  • Plant structure and function
  • Stomatal anatomy, morphology and dynamic responses
  • Anatomy of transport systems
  • Root structure and water and ion uptake
  • Leaf morphological traits and variation with environmental conditions
  • Plant water relations
  • Water potential and the movement of water into, through and out of plants
  • Ion, solute and sugar transport
  • Membrane transport, passive and active ion transport
  • Pathways of translocation in the phloem, source to sink

Plant ecophysiology: plant responses to climate extremes

  • Indigenous Knowledges and ecophysiology research
  • Plant responses to drought and temperature stress
  • Ecophysiology at catchment and global scales
  • Plant and community adaptations to fire

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Conceptual development

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:

1. Disciplinary knowledge

3. Professional, ethical and social responsibility

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 3 and 5

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1 and 3.1

Type: Exercises
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 10%
Criteria:

Active participation with peers in PeerWise study development by writing and answering a minimum of eight questions and providing respectful feedback on peer questions, which develops the graduate attribute professional, ethical and social responsibility. In developing your disciplinary knowledge in a low stakes suite of tasks, the PeerWise process is about learning, so you're not being graded on whether you get the answers right, only on the extent to which you engage with the task! Therefore, you should not use GenAI tools such as ChatGPT to write or answer questions in PeerWise.

Assessment task 2: Practical experiments and reporting

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:

1. Disciplinary knowledge

2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking

3. Professional, ethical and social responsibility

4. Reflection, innovation and creativity

5. Communication

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

2, 3, 5, 6 and 7

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Group, group and individually assessed
Weight: 55%
Criteria:

You will be assessed on your communication skills via appropriate use of English language and grammar. Your disciplinary knowledge graduate attribute will be assessed via description of your results. Your development of the graduate attribute professional, ethical and social responsibility will be assessed via the extent to which you engaged as a collaborative team member, your appropriate use of statistical analysis of data collected during pracs, your preparation of reports following standard science conventions, including appropriate use of primary literature and the validity of sources cited (i.e., not invented by an AI platform, such as ChatGPT). Your abilities in the graduate attribute research, inquiry and critical thinking will be demonstrated through hypothesis-driven investigation and interpretation of experimental findings for hypotheses in the context of scientific literature, as well as your ability to reflect and innovate through consideration of potential future lines of inquiry. Detailed guidelines on preparation of the reports and the grading rubric are provided on associated Canvas modules for this subject.

Assessment task 3: Quizzes

Intent:

1. Disciplinary knowledge

2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking

6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Connection with Country

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 3 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 2.1 and 6.1

Type: Quiz/test
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 35%
Criteria:

Your disciplinary knowledge will be assessed via the clarity and accuracy of your answers to quiz questions. These quizzes will test your research, inquiry, and critical thinking through your ability to apply theory to new problems or scenarios. Your development of the graduate attribute Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Connection with Country in the context of plant physiology and climate change will also be assessed. The quizzes will consist of both multiple choice and short answer questions.

These quizzes will be restricted open book, using your notes from lecture components and Canvas modules for this subject. Because the questions are based on material learned in class, seeking external answers, for example via AI tools like ChatGPT, will not be helpful for the quizzes and often results in wrong answers.

Minimum requirements

Attendance at all practical classes is critical to achieve subject learning outcomes for this subject. You are strongly advised to attend all practical classes.

A pass in this subject requires a cumulative mark of 50% or more when the individual marks for the items are added together.

Required texts

Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I. M., & Murphy, A. S. (2015). Plant physiology and development (sixth edition). Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publishers, Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA.

Recommended texts

Other texts and recommended reading listed on the Canvas site reading list for this subject.

Other resources

Learning support

You should not hesitate to ask your lecturer or subject coordinator for help throughout the session. In your first class you will be advised how to contact your lecturer. You will be provided with comments and suggestions on your assessment tasks throughout the session. The University Library has the resources you need for your assignments. Some items such as electronic journals, databases and e-reserve require a login and password in order to be accessed from your home or office. The Maths Study Centre and HELPS (Higher Education Language and Presentation Support) provides non-credited English language and academic literacy support to UTS undergraduate coursework students.

Items in high demand are placed in the Library’s Reserve Collection and much of this material is now accessible electronically.

Help for students

If personal problems are affecting your university work, you should seek free and confidential assistance from Student Services. If you need an extension of time (up to one week) to complete an assessment item, you must make a request in writing before the due date.

You should apply for Special Consideration if, because of serious illness or misadventure, you have difficulty in completing assessment or attendance requirements. A Request for Special Consideration must be lodged before the assessment item is due.

Special Needs

The Special Needs Service can advise you of the University’s services for people with disabilities and the options available for learning and assessment arrangements, telephone 9514-1177. Contact the Special Needs Service in the Student Services Unit if you would like a confidential discussion of your circumstances.

If you have a disability or an ongoing medical condition, you must contact the Academic Liaison Officer at the beginning of your course to discuss whether you need particular learning and assessment arrangements and each session let the Academic Liaison Officer know the subjects in which you are enrolled. Please note that the Academic Liaison Officer is also the person to contact if you need assistance because you have primary care for young children or other caring responsibilities. The Academic Liaison Officer is Dr Simon Mitrovic who can be contacted on simon.mitrovic@uts.edu.au

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Disclaimer

Minor changes may have been made subsequent to the generation of this document. Students are advised to regularly check the subject website on UTSOnline, where any changes will be formally announced up to the end of week 1 of the session.